


Lady du Coeur

by MightyMunchlax



Series: Lady du Coeur [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette fluff, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Background DJWifi, Bad choices are made, Bee! Chloe, Chlola, Coming Out, Drama, F/F, F/M, Family Issues, Family tension, Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fox! Alya, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, IT WILL GIVE YOU CAVITIES, Jealousy, LadyNoir - Freeform, Ladybug! Nino, Lila Redemption, Love, Marichat, Miraculous History, More Pining, Part Three tags, Part Two tags, Partnership, Past Ladybugs - Freeform, Peacock Miraculous, Queen Bee, Reveal, Slow Burn, Turtle Miraculous, Wedding Bells, adrien is too ready to do the boyfriend thing, adrien just wants love, adrinette heavy, alya is over marinette's bs, by lots of people, chlolila, clueless dorks, hawkward gabriel, identity finding, ladrien, lots of pining, love square resolved, mama agreste - Freeform, mild language at times, more about Mama Agreste, part one of Chloe Redemption, rebirth of Chloe Bourgeois, return of volpina, reverse au, rivalries, sort of, suggestive instances, supportive friendships, ultimate power
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-08-11 15:49:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 141,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7898647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MightyMunchlax/pseuds/MightyMunchlax
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Pt 1) Instructed by the old master, Marinette seeks to befriend golden boy, Adrien Agreste, to protect him from evil. As a result, Adrien finds himself drawn to the shy girl from his class to counteract the misfortune that seems to follow him.<br/>(Pt 2) Marinette struggles over her feelings for her black-clad partner and best friend while a new villain with a familiar face drags her name through the mud. Adrien does his best to support the love of his life through her fight to save her friend while patiently waiting for her to return his feelings, but in time, her lack of response starts to wear on him. Will it be the end of Chat Noir and Ladybug?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Great Guardian

Chapter One: The Great Guardian

Marinette could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she watched Master Fu with cautious eyes. How long had the old man known her secret? How did he know her secret? Her mind was racing with questions as Master Fu turned the book over in his hands, a thoughtful expression on his face. After a moment, he looked up at her and smiled warmly as if they were old friends. She braced herself for whatever slew of questions he could have for her, but to her surprise they didn't come.

"Would you like some tea?" He asked calmly. Marinette shifted uncomfortably. Of all the questions he could have asked like 'Where did you get this?' or 'How long have you had it?' and he wanted to know if she'd like some tea. He must have sensed her unease because he turned to the small green kwami floating beside him and said, "Bring out some chamomile, Wayzz. It might help calm our guest's nerves," The turtle flitted off into the backroom, and Master Fu motioned for Marinette to sit.

She exchanged a look with Tikki who nodded encouragingly then sat cross-legged on the mat. Master Fu moved a small tea table in front of her and set out four tea cups, two regular-sized and two kwami-sized. The old man seemed so calm, but Marinette found it hard to relax. After all, she had only met him once before. Had he known who she was then? How could he be so unconcerned knowing who she was? Most people would freak out.

"Don't you want to ask me about the book?" Mari found herself blurting. She clamped her mouth shut, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. To her surprised, Master Fu chuckled.

"We have many things to discuss, Ladybug, but first, let us enjoy our tea," As if on cue, Wayzz appeared toting a small tea pot. Master Fu took it and poured tea into each of the cups. His calm demeanor only made Marinette's nerves worse. He was impossible to read, his eyes gave away no clear emotion. It was as if he wore a mask to cover up how he was truly feeling, something Marinette wasn't used to dealing with. Her friends were usually pretty transparent, she could always tell when they were upset, but Master Fu was older, wiser, and capable of controlling his emotions, a skill acquired over many years of experience.

The four sipped their tea for several minutes, the lack of conversation eating away at Marinette's patience. Something in her gut told her to trust Fu, but every thought in her brain told her to be cautious. Maybe she was being paranoid, but she knew nothing about this old man and had only come because of her faith in Tikki's judgment. She glanced down at her kwami who seemed right at home next to Wayzz, telling herself that she could trust Master Fu if she could. After all, he had healed Tikki when she was sick before, but Marinette couldn't help feeling exposed. The old man's eyes seemed to see straight through her as if he knew every one of her secrets. He knew her identity, and she worried for once that maybe others would figure it out too.

Living a double-life grew tiring after a while, but Marinette had always worked diligently to ensure that no one found out who she really was, including her best friend and number-one fan. And yet, here sat a man who knew her identity after only meeting her once. Had she been lucky all along that her classmates were seemingly unaware of her alter-ego? What, she wondered, gave her secret away to this stranger? What detail was she overlooking?

"U-Um," She started clasping her hands together in her lap. "H-How did you know if was me?" She felt herself shrink under his gaze, wise old eyes looking into her soul. But Master Fu smiled that same warm, familiar smile as if he'd been waiting to see her for some time.

"I know many things," He said simply before taking a long sip of his tea. "I know you doubt your worthiness to be Ladybug even now." Marinette stared at her reflection in her tea, a grimace setting in. True, she still didn't think of herself as the hero type even though she and Chat Noir had been fighting akumas together for nine months. Part of her still felt unworthy of the calling.

"There are a lot of people way more heroic than me who would make way better Ladybugs," She said dejectedly.

"That is true," Master Fu admitted causing Marinette's head to snap up to look at him.

"However, many people lack your compassion, your wit, and your selflessness. You have certainly never let your doubts prevent you from doing what is right, and that, Marinette, is why I left Tikki and the ladybug miraculous in your hands," He took another calm sip of his tea.

"Y-You picked me to be Ladybug?" She gasped, eyes wide with disbelief. All this time she never knew how those mysterious earrings had ended up in her room. It had been Master Fu all along? Though her mind was racing with thousands of questions, she felt more at ease knowing Master Fu hadn't simply guessed who she was but had known from the beginning. It made her feel safer. It explained why the old man gave her such warm smiles. Proud smiles, she realized. Master Fu looked at her with the doting warmth of a parent watching their child grow and learn, and in that instance, Marinette's doubts seemed to melt away.

"I set out one day in search of fateful encounters. I needed compassionate hearts to wield the black cat and ladybug miraculouses because they possess great power, and in the wrong hands, they pose an unstoppable threat." His voice grew more solemn, but after a moment he smiled. "Fate chose you and Chat Noir to fight evil, and you two have shown great courage in your efforts thus far,"

At that Marinette smiled a little. The reassurance was comforting. She'd always felt like she and Chat Noir had been thrust into their positions so abruptly, hardly given anytime to wonder if they were right for it or not. They pressed on out of a sense of duty, a responsibility that only they possessed. Now she understood, the once jumbled gears in her brain now fitting together perfectly. For the first time since she'd become Ladybug, Marinette felt sure of herself and the powers she'd been gifted.

"Thank you," She smiled, relieved tears pooling in her eyes, hoping to convey the same warmth Master Fu had shown her. The same gratitude.

"It is I who should thank you for rising to the occasion. It takes great courage to fight the forces of evil," He bowed slightly in a show of respect. "Now, we must discuss the reason for your visit." Master Fu picked up the book and set it on the table. Marinette watched as he flipped through it, stroking his beard thoughtfully with his thumb and index finger.

She'd looked through it herself, but none of it made sense to her other than the pictures. Tikki said Master Fu knew how to decode it which made her wonder about the old man. He seemed so kind, and he looked at her with such familiarity it made Marinette wonder how many other Ladybug's he'd encountered in his life. What things had he seen? She trained her eyes on his bracelet, his Miraculous. How long had he and Wayzz been together? She wondered. How long would she have with Tikki? Despite her previous doubts, Marinette couldn't picture her life without her kwami. Ladybug had become a part of her, and Tikki had become a dear friend. Would the two remain together until she aged like Fu and Wayzz? She glanced once more at the small green kwami still sipping at his tea. As Master Fu continued to thumb through the book, Marinette's mind raced with thoughts until finally his voice broke her train of thought.

"I lost this book many years ago," He commented. "Where did you find it?" His eyes moved up to look at her. He'd stopped on the fox hero's page that had inspired Lila to become Volpina.

"I…" She bit her lip wondering how much to reveal. She felt a surge of importance from Master Fu and knew better than to lie to him. "There's this…boy in my class, and he…kind of had it in the library; then this new girl took it from him, and later in the park she dumped it into the trash where Tikki and I pulled it out. Tikki said it was important and told me to bring it here." She finished leaving out the minor detail where she caused the girl to be akumatized out of jealousy. Vaguely, she felt aware that Master Fu probably knew more about her than he let on.

"This boy…what is his name?" He eyed her knowingly.

"His name is Adrien. Adrien Agreste," She blushed slightly thinking about him. Master Fu frowned and resumed stroking his beard as if he were recalling an old memory, but after a moment he smiled again, nodding his head as if he'd come to a conclusion.

"This book contains a history of all Miraculous jewels and their powers. I am afraid you won't be able to return it to your friend," He stated. Marinette shook her head.

"I kind of knew that," She sighed. It wasn't like Adrien knew she'd taken it, but she knew he would look for it. That he would wonder what happened to it.

"I am sorry, but in the wrong hands this book is very dangerous. It contains many secrets, spells, and prophecies that shouldn't be discovered. You were wise to heed your kwami's advice and bring it here," His tone was apologetic but firm. Marinette had hoped to use it to start up a conversation with Adrien, but she knew she would never be able to mention it to him. She looked down at the book, the cover worn from many years of use.

"So, are there really more Miraculouses besides ours?" She asked glancing at Wayzz. Master Fu smiled, amused by her curiosity.

"There are many Miraculous wielders, yes; however, not all of them have awoken. Some are lost, but many others are being used all over the world," He stood and approached the phonograph at the back of the room. Marinette watched as he pressed a series of buttons, eyes widening as the record player opened to reveal an intricately designed box. She didn't recognize any of the Chinese characters, much to her chagrin.

"I was entrusted with protecting seven Miraculous pieces. I am one of several Great Guardians. It is my duty to protect the Miraculous and their secrets from falling into the wrong hands." He motioned for her to come closer, so she stood and approached sheepishly.

Inside the box was a series of carefully crafted platforms that all fit together to form the shape of a flower. In the middle was a raised tier with the yin and yang symbol covering the circle, the dots bearing the symbols of Chat Noir's ring and her earrings. The lower tiers, or rather the petals, all bore the colors and marks of the Miraculous they represented. She noticed that there were only two left, and, after doing quick math in her mind, she looked up at Master Fu, eyebrows knitted together in concern.

"What happened to this one?" She pointed at the blue petal on the bottom that bore the symbol of a peacock tail. Master Fu's face fell.

"Some are lost," He repeated gravely. "The other two remain dormant for now. The time has not yet come for them to awaken, so they remain asleep." He shut the box gently.

"That classmate of yours…You should get closer to him." He gave her another knowing smile, and Marinette felt the heat of her blush creep up her neck.

"Get close? To A-Adrien? I-I don't think I can, I mean, he's, I, uh," She was stammering again as she often did when it came to her crush.

"If Hawkmoth discovers that the boy had this book, he could be in danger. It would be in his best interest if you were in his good company." Master Fu warned. Marinette sobered at the thought. She hadn't considered what repercussions Adrien could face for having such a powerful book. Hawkmoth would stop at nothing if he thought he could get information out of him.

"I'll do my best," She promised. Master Fu placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling warmly.

"Good girl," He guided her to the door. "Come back often when you are feeling lost. The burden of a Miraculous is a great one, and it helps to seek solace from someone who knows of the struggles you are facing," She smiled, pulling the small man into an appreciative hug.

"I will. Thank you for everything, Master Fu," She pulled back and waved slightly before stepping through the door she'd entered in, a new sense of purpose swelling inside her.

***

"Master, if the Agreste child had the book-" Wayzz started, but Master Fu held up a hand to silence him. He was well aware of what it meant. His mind drifted back to the days when he and Wayzz transformed together regularly, doing their part to protect the city alongside a woman with more grace and flair than any other. His partner and wielder of the peacock Miraculous. Or rather, his former partner.

"I should have known she would take it. She always was curious," He sounded amused almost, but then his eyes narrowed sadly. "Let's pay Gabriel a visit. It has been some time since we last spoke." His kwami looked anxious.

"He threw you out last time," The small turtle pointed out, his forehead furrowed worriedly. True. The last time Fu had visited the Agreste mansion had been right after the Madame of the household disappeared. Gabriel had not taken his presence well. Subconsciously, Fu knew the reason Gabriel resented him, but the problem lied in whether or not Fu felt those reasons were justified. His answer depended on the day.

"Gabriel's emotions were still very raw at the time. He blamed me for her disappearance," He grabbed his cane and flipped the sign on the window to the 'closed' side. "Sometimes I think he's right."

"Are you sure this is wise then, Master?" Wayzz scurried after him as the old man locked up. Fu seemed amused.

"We will find out soon," The mischievous gleam Wayzz knew too well entered the old man's eyes. The kwami sighed, knowing any further argument was futile, and retreated down into his master's pocket.

When he arrived at the Agreste mansion he observed how closed off Gabriel had made the house since the disappearance of his wife. Tall walls and an iron gate. A cage meant to keep a young boy from being swallowed by the world. He rang the bell and a small camera lens appeared, zooming around his face briefly before the gates slid open, and Fu made his way up the stairs where Gabriel was waiting, face seemingly devoid of emotion, but Fu detected a hint of malice in his piercing blue-grey eyes.

"It's been some time since I've seen your face, Fu," The tall man said flatly. "What brings you here?" His voice sounded uninterested, guarded almost, but Fu could sense the emotions churning inside him.

"I think we have a few things to discuss, Gabriel," He said patiently. The man's eyes narrowed, but after a moment he motioned for Fu to enter. The two men made their way to Gabriel's study on the left side of the main hall. How empty the house seemed now, how cold.

"Nathalie, I have some business to attend to," Gabriel said as they entered the room. The dark haired woman nodded curtly and left the room, closing the doors behind her as she went. Fu remained at ease as he took a seat and watched Gabriel patiently as he took the one across from him.

"What do you want?" Fu detected a hint of annoyance in the man's voice. Gabriel had indeed changed since his wife vanished. He'd aged more, his once youthful skin now stretched tightly across his cheekbones, dark bags were under his eyes from lack of sleep.

"You look tired," He remarked. Outside the sun was setting, casting an orange glow on the room, but even in the dimming light Fu could see Gabriel's lip twitch.

"I am a very busy man, and I don't have much time for small talk, Fu, so I would appreciate if you got to the reason for your visit. I highly doubt you've come just to chitchat about my health." Though his voice was sharp enough to cut through steel, Fu couldn't help but grin. Gabriel had always been reserved, but Fu knew it was all a façade.

"Your son came in possession of a book of mine," He stated simply. "Any idea where he got it from?"

"So it would seem," Gabriel sighed. "It appears as though I need to be more careful with my safe codes, the boy has become quite good at sneaking around lately, much like someone we know." He glanced up at the portrait of his wife and continued, "He stole the book from me. I guess he's more like his mother than I realized, that natural curiosity as it were…" His voice trailed off as he readjusted his gaze onto the old man. "I didn't realize it belonged to you, Fu."

"It's quite alright. I hadn't realized she'd taken it from me, and, of course, she wouldn't have told you where it came from either. She liked to hide those details," At that the corners of Gabriel's mouth curled into a slight smile, a smirk really.

"My wife kept many things from us both. Though I feel she shared more secrets with you than she ever did with me," Fu could sense the jealousy behind his words, but he also detected a hint of sadness.

"I was her partner. There are many secrets we kept from each other and the ones we loved for their safety-"

"And what about her safety?" Gabriel growled. "If she trusted me with her secrets-"

"Adrien would be alone now," Fu's words cut through Gabriel, his usual calm, disinterested demeanor shaken. Fu continued, "Whatever she got into that led to her disappearance would have sucked you in too, which is why she kept it from both of us. Your son would have no parents now if she had told you."

"If she had told me, I could have saved her!" Gabriel jumped up, hands clenched into fists. Fu gave him that all-knowing stare.

"Could you?" Fu stood up abruptly. "Don't scold the boy for taking the book. It's in safe hands now. I thank you for protecting it all this time," He made his way to the door with even steps.

"I know about him, Fu, and I know you do too," Gabriel's words stopped him in his tracks. "And if I ever lose him too, I won't forgive you." Fu stared at the ornately designed door.

Of course Gabriel didn't know that Fu was the guardian of the Miraculous, but he did know that he was in possession of one. And as a result, Gabriel expected him to watch over his son. To keep him safe. He supposed he owed the family that after choosing two members to carry that great burden.

"Your son has a good heart," He said after a moment. "Don't break it." With that Fu pulled the door open and took his leave, Gabriel's words replaying in his mind, but the old man had faith in that unfortunate black cat. The boy would choose his own fate in the end.

***

Gabriel watched the old man go, closing his fists tighter, seething, because he knew Fu was right about more things than he cared to admit. It was true after his wife disappeared that he had become more protective of their son, but only because the fear of losing him too kept him up a night. Because Adrien was all he had left. He paced toward the wall of photographs, the static images of the most precious thing in his world. He didn't quite understand it all, how Miraculous users were chosen, and why fate had plagued his household with that wretched burden. First his wife, then himself, and now his son. He supposed it was punishment for his actions, but his desires were just in his mind anyway. In any case, Adrien's possession of a Miraculous was convenient. He glanced at his prized painting again, the woman's green eyes seeming to stare into his.

With deliberate hands, he pulled the painting away from the wall to reveal his safe. He typed in the code – Adrien's birth date, which, he realized, might be too obvious – and pulled away the heavy door. He touched the peacock pendant gingerly. It seemed dimmer now than when his wife had worn it. Back then it had seemed so full of light and color. Now it seemed as if the jewel were sleeping, the guardian inside awaiting the return of its master. He shut the safe abruptly, straightening himself.

Adrien was moping in his room when Gabriel entered. The boy seemed annoyed at the intrusion.

"Knock much?" He grunted.

"If you would like me to respect your privacy then I expect you to respect mine," His voice was cold, harsh. Adrien flinched and looked away guiltily. Gabriel sighed and sat on the edge of the boy's bed.

"Did you find it interesting?" He asked. Adrien snapped back around looking startled.

"W-What?" He stuttered.

"The book," Gabriel continued. "Your mother used to look through it. She was so fascinated by superheroes," Adrien looked as if he'd been slapped. Gabriel waited.

"I, uh, I-I'm sorry I took it, Father," He looked down at his lap. "And that I lost it…" He said the last part more quietly. He jumped like he'd been electrocuted when Gabriel placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It was just a bunch of stories. Your mother liked to fantasize about silly things, and it seems you take after her in that regard," He glanced at the monitors where his son had a website devoted to Ladybug pulled up. His eyes narrowed slightly, but after a moment, he ruffled the boy's hair and stood up. "Don't take things without asking anymore."

"Yes, Father. I promise," His head hung low. Gabriel left the room and quietly made his way down the hall, a small purple sprite flitting up from his jacket timidly.

"If you know about your son, why do you send akumas to fight him?" The kwami asked.

"Because I want his Miraculous to end the misfortune hovering over this family. With my akumas I can control the manner in which I get it without subjecting him to the same fate as his mother." He stopped abruptly. "My son wants freedom, so I'm giving it to him."

"Why not just take the ring from him?" The small voice dared to ask.

"I can use him to capture Ladybug's Miraculous," He stated simply.

"How do you know he will help you?" Gabriel glared down at him causing the small fairy to shrink back.

"I am his father," He said flatly. "He will do as I say."

 

* * *

 Author's Comments:

I started this fic cause I had a lot of thoughts in my brain, so I decided I would share them with the world.

Let me know what you think! >< 


	2. New Friendships

Chapter Two – New Friendships

Marinette had a fitful night, constantly in and out of sleep, her nerves racing. She knew the importance behind becoming better friends with Adrien, but the thought of approaching him made her cheeks burn and her heart race. What if she said something stupid? Or came on too strong? Or if he found out she had a huge dork crush on him? She rolled onto her stomach, burying her face in her pillow with a groan. Cats stuck in trees, she was on it. Evil akumas, no problem! Talking to that gorgeous blond boy in her class…Marinette.exe has stopped working. How could she befriend him if she couldn’t even get out two coherent sentences around him?

            When morning light began to creep in through her window, Marinette felt the weight of sleep deprivation on her eyelids like cement. She closed them for a brief moment before a sharp pain centered on her hand. Shooting forward with a yelp, she found that it was much brighter in the room than it had been a few minutes ago.

            “It’s about time you woke up! You’re going to be late for school!” Tikki’s soprano voice scolded. Marinette examined her hand, tiny teeth marks embedded into the skin.

            “Did you bite me?” She asked in disbelief. The small kwami gave her a haughty look.

            “Honestly, Marinette, you need to learn how to wake up on time,” The red bug shook her head in disappointment as her owner scrambled to get ready.

            “I know, I know, it’s just…I had trouble sleeping last night,” Marinette said defensively. “Because I have to talk to you-know-who today,” She paused to stare dreamily at her Adrien wall. In that moment, she realized she should probably take it all down if they were going to be better friends, recalling the time he came over to practice for the Mecha Strike tournament. Her obsession wall wasn’t something she felt confident explaining to him.

            “Not to mention, Lila’s going to be at school, and I have no idea how that whole mess is going to play out,” Marinette continued as she brushed her hair back into her signature pigtails.

            “Just remember, don’t bring up the book under any circumstances,” Tikki whispered as they entered the school. Somehow the atmosphere inside the school walls seemed…different. As she walked further inside, the hum of hushed chatter filled the air, and Marinette picked out bits and pieces as she walked.

            “Did you hear-?”

            “How pathetic,”

            “I knew she was lying,”

            “Shh! Here she comes!”

            A hush fell over the courtyard as the brown haired girl entered through the front doors. All eyes fixed on her as she hung her head low, gripping her bag closer to herself as she took the walk of shame across the courtyard.

            “Liar,” The word bounced around from mouth to mouth with no clear indication of where it started, but it followed her as she walked, shoulders slumping more and more as she passed through mocking stares and thoughtless whispers. Despite the previous day’s events Marinette found herself feeling sorry for her.

            _She did this to herself_. Marinette told herself, pushing away guilty thoughts. _Don’t feel bad for her. She deserves this._ No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t swallow that feeling. It was kind of her fault Lila got akumatized after all. If she hadn’t gotten so jealous… No, if she hadn’t stepped in Lila would still be plaguing the school with her lies. That much she could accept. Additionally, she could have Adrien under her spell too, which was absolutely out of the question.

            “Can you believe that girl?” Marinette jumped at the sound of her best friend’s voice in her ear. “That whole interview was totally fake! Ugh, and I put it on the Ladyblog too!” Alya knocked her forehead with her fist a few times as if to beat the poor decision out of her memory.

            “Well, she can’t say she doesn’t know Ladybug now,” The laugh belonged to Nino, and Marinette noticed Adrien standing beside him looking lost in thought. He seemed fine when she’d been by to check on him the day before, but she still wondered how he was faring. Alya jumped at the opportunity as soon as she laid eyes on him.

            “Soo, Adrien, is it true Volpina showed up at your house?” Her friend could be so shameless at times. The question seemed to rattle him.

            “Uhh…y-yeah, she did…” Marinette grabbed Alya’s arm and dragged her away before she could bombard him with more questions.

            “Hey!” She huffed, folding her arms over her chest.

            “I think it’s probably best if you avoid the subject for now. He seems pretty upset,” Marinette said pointedly which got an eye roll and an exasperated ‘I guess’ from Alya.

            Inside the classroom was no better. Everyone huddled together whispering about Lila. When the culprit entered, she avoided eye contact as she took her seat at the back of the room and laid her head on her desk. Marinette’s stomach churned uneasily.

            _Stop feeling guilty_! She scolded. People were going to find out eventually! Right? This day was proving to be worse than she’d thought. How could she focus on Adrien when everyone was focused on Lila? She glanced up at him sitting in front of her. He was being unusually quiet today. She glanced at Nino who was busy talking to Alya and drew in a breath. _Say something. Anything._ She thought, but no matter how much she tried the breath stayed in her lungs. _What should I say? Seems a little late for good morning, I mean, you’ve already passed him once. Shoot! I missed the opportunity because of Alya._ As the edges of her vision started to darken she realized she’d forgotten to breathe out. _Say something!_

            “Um,” She started, heart accelerating a bit as her friends turned their attention to her.

            “Alright, everyone, take your seats,” Ms. Bustier interrupted, much to Marinette’s relief as she released the rest of the air from her lungs. Why was speaking so hard around him?

            Her mind wandered during the lesson, thinking about yesterday, Volpina, Lila, Adrien, Master Fu…More than usual Marinette wished she were normal. Maybe she would visit Master Fu later. Somehow she trusted him more than she originally thought she would. Maybe it was the idea of having someone other than Tikki to share her secrets with, a confidant of sorts, or perhaps it was the old man’s serene demeanor that made her feel safe.

            When the bell rang for lunch, she took several deep breaths and followed Adrien down the stairs. _Now’s your chance, Marinette. Don’t chicken out! You can do this._ She balled her hands into nervous fists and opened her mouth to call his name.

            “Adrikins!” Marinette found herself shoved out of the way as Chloe assaulted Adrien with hugs and kisses despite how he resisted.

            “Hey, Chlo,” He grunted, dodging her lips from connecting with his.

            “Yesterday must have been so awful for you. That nasty Lila girl pretending to be a superhero, how terrible!” Chloe clung to him possessively.

            “Y-Yeah,” He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes fixed on the ground. Marinette walked passed them cursing Chloe in her mind. As she made her way down the front steps, she noticed Lila entering the park across the street.

            _Don’t you dare!_ Her brain screamed as her feet moved after Lila. _You don’t owe her anything. She did it to herself. She lied to everyone and almost threw Adrien off the Eiffel Tower. Stop. Go home. Don’t-_

            “Hi,” She said gently. Lila was slumped on a bench holding a sandwich. “I-It’s no fun eating alone. Mind if I join you?” Lila gave her an incredulous look. _That’s it, Marinette. She doesn’t want you here, just turn around and leave._

            “Are you stupid or something?” She blurted. “Everyone hates me, in case you haven’t noticed.” Marinette had noticed and for the life of her couldn’t figure out why she was still standing there. Master Fu knew what he was talking about when he said she had a compassionate heart. Even though Lila had almost stolen Adrien from her and lied to everyone in school, all things Marinette loathed, something in her gut wouldn’t let her hate Lila.

            “Not everyone…” She smiled encouragingly. Lila rolled her eyes.

            “Fine, whatever,” She scooched over slightly as Marinette sat beside her and pulled out her lunch.

            “I’m Marinette, by the way.”

            “Yeah, I got that,” Her tone was short, guarded. Marinette wince. _Just walk away, Marinette._

            “So, you’re from Italy?” She asked conversationally.

            “Yeah,” Lila shifted so her back was to Marinette as if she were using her body to create a wall between them. Marinette couldn’t really blame her for being distant after everyone shunned her.

            “Awesome!” Marinette laughed nervously. Lila wasn’t making it very easy.

            “Not really,” Lila sighed. “Look, you don’t have to pretend to be nice to me. I lied to everyone, and now everyone hates me, so if you don’t mind I’d like to finish my lunch alone.” _Now’s your chance, just get up and walk home._

            “Why did you do it?” She found herself asking against her better judgment. She braced herself for an outburst, some form of backlash, but it never came. Instead the girl simply shrugged.

            “I didn’t have many friends back home, so I guess…I just wanted everyone to like me here,” She sighed. “Why does that matter to you?” Being in a new place could be daunting. She thought of Adrien’s first day and all the trouble Chloe caused him. If he were snobby like Chloe she might have felt differently about him, but he was sweet and kind. The truth of the matter was Marinette knew nothing about Lila, so she was determined to find out who she was before passing judgment on her. Sometimes she hated her soft heart.

            “Well, you’re new here, and I kind of want to be your friend…” More like she felt bad for embarrassing her in front of Adrien and getting her akumatized, but that was a secret Marinette would take to her grave. Lila turned to face her abruptly their faces inches apart as Lila glared through her. Marinette bit her lip nervously.

            “You really are stupid,” She said after a moment, leaning back. She cast a side-long smile and took another bite of her sandwich. “But I guess you’re all I’ve got, so I suppose we can be friends.”

            “Tell me about yourself,” Marinette prompted, but Lila looked away.

            “Why?” She grumbled.

            “Isn’t that what friends do?” Lila shrugged her shoulders, but Marinette continued, “I’ll start then. I want to be a fashion designer.”

            Lila looked her over for a second then laughed, “And you’re wearing that?”

Marinette felt her stomach drop, and it must have shown on her face because after a moment Lila winked. “I’m kidding, don’t be so gullible. I love your jacket.”

            “Oh…thanks. Now it’s your turn,” She prompted. Lila thought for a moment.

            “I’ve always wanted to be a supermodel. Ever since I saw my first fashion magazine I’ve wanted to be a model, so I only eat one meal a day.” She said.

            “Wow that seems extreme.” Marinette’s eyebrows furrowed. She wondered if Adrien followed any crazy diets. Lila laughed again.

            “You’re really bad at this. That was totally a lie.” She giggled. “Sometimes I eat way too much. Food is way more important to me than being some paper thin cover girl.”

            “Alright then, what _do_ you want to be?” Marinette asked.

Their conversation went on like that for a while. Lila would make up stories for all of Marinette’s questions then ask her if she thought they were true. They made a game out of it. Most of the time Marinette said they were even if they were obviously lies because it made Lila smile, even for a short period of time, which was something she rarely did otherwise.

            “Let’s have lunch together from now on, okay?” Marinette offered sincerely.

            “Whatever,” Lila laughed. Even if she had lied to everyone, Marinette couldn’t bring herself to be mean to Lila. Ladybug had already done that, and it backfired. She’d learned her lesson the hard way. Besides, everyone else was doing enough, and it was kind of her fault everyone found out.

            The two girls ate lunch together in the park regularly after that, talking about fashion and movies and other trivial things, and the more time they spent together the more Marinette started to like her. She found out that Lila’s parents were always super busy with work and that she was mostly raised by her grandmother until she passed away a couple years ago. They came to Paris because her father got a promotion within the company to come run a branch in Paris. Or so Lila said.

            Eventually, the harsh stares became fewer in number as people moved on, though no one besides Marinette made any effort to talk to Lila. Their friendship irritated Alya to no end.

            “How can you hang out with her?” She asked as she always did during their free period. Alya made a point to tell Marinette how much she disapproved of her friendship with Lila every opportunity she got. Marinette sighed.

            “Is everyone really going to hold a grudge forever?” She groaned. Alya looked like she was going to say something else, but something caught her eye over Marinette’s shoulder.

            “Marinette’s future husband at 10 o’clock!” She grinned nodding in the direction of the door where Adrien had just entered. Marinette had made small progress with him over the past few weeks. They often said ‘morning’ to each other now, but after that Marinette clammed up.

            “You should go sit by him,” Alya gave her a shove, but Marinette had become a steel wall.

            “B-But you’re helping me with chemistry,” She offered half-heartedly. Alya pulled her to her feet.

            “You’re gonna see a lot more chemistry happening over there, now go get him!” Her best friend shoved her to the other side of the bookshelf, right into Adrien’s view.

            “Oh, hey, Marinette,” He smiled sheepishly.

            “Uhh, m-morning,” She stammered. Wait. No! Adrien looked at her quizzically. Marinette glanced back at Alya with a panicked expression, her friend face palming and shaking her head. “I-I mean, uh, hi?” She squeaked, lifting her textbook to hide her face.

            “Hi…?” He repeated. “You working on chemistry?” He nodded at the book in her hands.

            “Oh! Uh, yeah, Alya was helping me,” She gestured with her thumb behind her.

            “But Alya has to go do an important thing now, that she just remembered, so, Adrien, you’re good at chemistry, right? Marinette needs some help with her chemical reactions,” Her friend gave her a stern look to which Marinette offered up a nervous grin. “Mind taking over for me?” She winked.

            “Sure,” Adrien looked between them clearly confused.

            “Great! See you later, M!” She wrapped an arm around Mari’s shoulders. “Thank me later!” She whispered before dashing off. And just like that they were alone. Well, alone with the exception of the other student’s in the library.

            “So,” He dragged the vowel out, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Want to get started?” He nodded toward the table she and Alya had been sitting at moments before. She hid her blush behind her book and nodded, taking her seat. _You can do this, you can do this, you can do this._ She repeated in her head. Slowly, she set the book on the table and flipped to the chapter as Adrien pulled out his notes.

            This was her chance to get on better terms with him. If Master Fu was right about Hawkmoth, Adrien could be in danger, and the last thing Marinette wanted was for him to get hurt because she was too nervous to talk to him. His life depended on her opening up, or that’s what she told herself at least.

            “Um, th-thanks for this,” She managed. “I-I know you must be busy, and it’s my fault for getting behind. Normally I get Alya to help me, but she has that thing that she has to do…” Oh, god, she was rambling. Suddenly she wished she couldn’t talk again, unsure of how to turn her mouth off. _Please shut up._ She willed silently.

            “It’s fine,” He chuckled good-naturedly. “You and I don’t get to talk much, so this is nice.”

            “You’re nice,” She sighed dreamily. _I said that out loud._ “I, uh, yeah, _it’s_ nice to hang out, with you, that is, uh,” _This is going well._ Marinette pinched the bridge of her nose while she silently prayed Adrien didn’t think she was a dorkasaurous.

            “Right,” He titled his head to the side slightly. “So, you need help with chemical reactions?” He asked. Marinette suppressed an eye roll. _Alya._

            “Uh, yeah, just the calculations,” She blushed as he scooted closer to share her book.

            “You just have to get the units to cancel until you get what you want,” He explained, scribbling a problem down on her tablet. “In this one you want to know how many moles of product C you get when you react A and B, so…” He was close enough that his arm brushed hers lightly, sending shockwaves up to her shoulder. Her heart pounded in her chest, rushing blood to her face. Being so close to him was like a dream, one Marinette never wanted to wake up from.

            “So, you think you can work this one?” He asked pointing to the next problem as Marinette snapped back to reality. She hadn’t been listening, so she nodded meekly, taking the stylus from him and scribbling down the steps. “Good,” He smiled when she got the right answer. “You learn fast.”

            “You’re a better tutor than Alya,” She admitted, rubbing the back of her neck as if to stop the blood rushing to her cheeks. Adrien laughed.

            “I won’t tell her you said that,” He winked, and Marinette was sure her heart stopped. “I can help you any time if you lend me your notes when I miss class.” True, Adrien did often miss class like she did. Must be his model schedule.

            “Y-Yeah, no problem!” A silence fell between them for a moment as Marinette stared at her textbook. She was aware of his eyes on her, but a lump formed in her throat that she couldn’t swallow down. Still, she had to give herself props for getting this far with him. There were only a few other times where she’d actually spoken one-on-one with him without being a complete wreck. Perhaps it would get easier if she spoke to him more often, or that’s what she hoped for anyways.

            “Can I ask you something?” He said finally. Marinette’s stomach twisted in knots as she dared to look up into his emerald green eyes, eyes she’d spent hours day dreaming about.

            “S-Sure,” She gulped, an endless stream of possible outcomes flowing through her mind until they formed rapids, and Marinette felt herself getting dizzy. Those curious green eyes never strayed from her, and she could have sworn she was going to pass out.

            “Did I do something wrong?” Marinette felt her brain failing. That was not a question she’d considered.

            “W-What?” She gaped at him.

            “I mean, at first I thought maybe you were just shy, but seeing you with Lila lately…Did I do something to make you not like me? You never seem to want to talk to me unless you have to,” He slumped a little. _Oh my god. Adrien thinks I hate him_.

            “I-No! I don’t…No!” She scrambled. She pictured tiny versions of herself running around in her brain as it overheated. “It’s just that I- and you’re so- and I’m not,” _Articulate as always, Marinette._ At least he hadn’t figured out she had a crush on him. She couldn’t say which scenario she would prefer in that moment. At least in this case her usual flustered ramblings could be useful.

            “Is it because of the gum thing?” His eyebrows knitted together worriedly.

            “No!” She practically shouted.

            “Then why? We hang out in the same friend group, but you always run away when I look at you.”

            “Well…you’re…Adrien Agreste. Your dad’s my favorite designer, you’re a model, and I’m just…I-I’m just a baker’s daughter,” She traced circles on her book with her finger.

            “So, you think because I’m rich that I’m too shallow to want to be friends with you?” He looked offended.

            “No, no, no!” She waved her hands frantically. “Th-That’s not what I meant at all! You’re really nice!” Adrien leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest, frowning. Marinette deflated. _God, just kill me know, please._ She pleaded silently.

            “You wanna start over?” She looked back up into his earnest green eyes, his hand extended toward her. “I’m Adrien.” She stared in disbelief for a moment before placing her hand in his.

            “Marinette,” She smiled.

            “Nice to meet you, Marinette, wanna hang out sometime?” He cocked a well-kept brow.

            “I’d like that,” His face softened and formed a smile.

            “Me too,” Marinette felt her cheeks flush, but for once she wasn’t nervous. His green eyes were so sincere, wanting to be accepted by the girl he thought he’d upset the first day of school. The buzz of his phone startled them both. Glancing at it, he sighed.

            “Gotta go. Piano lesson,” Marinette knew that. “See you in class, baker girl.” He winked.

            “You’re not going to let that go, are you?” She groaned covering her face with her hand in shame.

            “You’re the one who thinks I’m too above you,” He crossed his arms.

            “I didn’t mean-” She saw the playful glint in his eyes and seized the new opportunity. “See you later, rich boy.” She shot back. At that he grinned widely and waved as he made his way out. Once the door closed, Marinette melted into her seat.

            “That was a good start!” Tikki whispered excitedly from her shirt collar; however, she soon realized Marinette’s brain had melted to mush, so she escaped back down to her purse with an eye roll. This friendship was going to take some getting used to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fluffy chapter that set up two important friendships  
> Hope you enjoy! :)  
> Follow me on tumblr (MightyMunchlax) for updates and previews and things  
> Let me know what you think in the comments, any critiques, comments, concerns  
> See you guys next week! :)


	3. Awkward Situations

Chapter Three- Awkward Situations

 (*Some smut toward the end, but nothing serious, don't get excited*)

“You seem happy tonight, my lady,” Her partner’s voice broke her trance. Night had fallen and Ladybug had been lost in her thoughts on the roof where they often met to patrol the city for petty crimes to solve, so she hadn’t heard him approach.

            “Something good happened today,” She replied with a smile. This peaked Chat Noir’s interest. Clasping his hands behind his back he leaned in closer, a curious gleam Ladybug knew too well in his eyes.

            “Care to share any details?” His face was close to hers. Too close. She pushed him away with one finger.

            “Don’t even think about it,” She said with the same warning tone she always did when he started getting too personal.

            “Oh, come on, my lady!” He whined. “Give me something. Please,” His lips formed into a pout, and he nuzzled against her shoulder. She sighed.

            “I talked to a boy I like today,” She caved. Chat perked up.

            “My lady, I’m flattered, and I accept your feelings,” He kissed her hand dramatically. Ladybug pulled it away with a roll of her eyes.

            “Keep dreaming, kitty,” She grunted, pacing away from him. Chat brushed it off as he usually did.

            “So, what’s my rival like?” Ladybug gave him the ‘absolutely not’ look. “What? I wanna scope out the competition.”

            “It’s not a competition, and even if it were, you’d be losing,” She said with a laugh.

            “Does your boyfriend have cool superpowers or my devilish good looks?” He flexed and ran a hand through his hair. Ladybug gagged then cast him a playful smile.

            “Thankfully not,” She teased pinching his side.

            “Well, what’s one thing you like about him?” He tried. “Just one!” He held up defensive hands when she gave him the same look again. Ladybug thought for a moment.

            “He’s humble,” She said after a while, the playful glint returning to her eyes. “So basically the opposite of you.” Chat folded his arms over his chest.

            “Ha ha, very funny.” He scoffed. Ladybug laughed and tossed her yoyo across the street.

            “Come on, goofball, we have work to do.” She called as she shot off, Chat at her heels.

**Adrien**

            Adrien was lost in thought as Nathalie drove him to school the next morning. His mind wandered to his lovely lady and the thoughtful smile on her lips the night before. He’d give anything to have her look at him that way. He felt a twang of jealousy for his mystery rival. If he didn’t exist would Ladybug look at Chat Noir differently? He longed for the moments they spent together, defending Paris, playfully bantering back and forth. The sound of her laugh like bells ringing softly in his ears.

            “You’ve got that stupid look on your face again,” Plagg gagged from Adrien’s collar.

            “I don’t know what your problem is, you make the same face when you look at cheese,” He retorted.

            “But you’re not looking at cheese, so, therefore, it’s stupid.” Plagg folded his arms over his chest. Adrien rolled his eyes and pushed the small cat back into his shirt.

            Nino was waiting when the car pulled up to the school. The two fist-bumped in greeting once Adrien had climbed out of the flashy vehicle.

            “Chloe’s waiting for you inside the school,” His best bud warned with an annoyed sigh. Adrien braced himself as they walked up the stairs, and as expected, his childhood friend latched herself onto him as soon as she saw him.

            “Hey, Chlo,” He sighed as she planted kisses on his cheeks.

            “Miss me, Adrihoney?” She cooed, nuzzling his arm.

            “I saw you yesterday…” He winced. Chloe released him with a huff.

            “That was hours ago! You should be starving for my attention by now!” She pouted. Adrien sighed. Had she always been this dramatic? He wanted to say no, but he knew her better.

            “Yeah, sure,” He shrugged. She wrapped herself back around him. As much as he didn’t like being fawned over, he couldn’t bring himself to push Chloe off. She was harmless mostly, and he felt it would do more harm than good to shun her. Eventually, she released him with another kiss on the cheek and just like that she was gone to dish out her usual reign of terror on unsuspecting bystanders.

            “That chick is seriously crazy,” Nino grunted.

            “Tell me about it,” Adrien sighed as they headed to class. Alya was in her seat already, early, as usual, and she and Nino struck up a conversation about some TV show they both liked. Marinette wasn’t there yet, also typical. He smiled thinking about their exchange in the library the day before. Mari was sweet and nice to literally everyone; he cast a look at the back where Lila sat with her head down, which made him wonder why Marinette had taken so long to really talk to him. It still puzzled him, but he supposed it was all in the past now.

            As usual, Marinette came running in minutes before class started, out of breath.

            “I thought bakers had to get up early,” He teased as she passed by. She smirked.

            “We’re too poor to afford luxuries like alarm clocks,” She shot back.

            “Remind me to loan you one.” He snickered.

            “Wow! Desperate for charity work, I see,” She scoffed playfully.

            “Well, ya know, I gotta keep up a good image. People might start to think I’m a snob,” He winked.

            “You mean you’re not?” She feigned a surprised gasp.

            “You got some flour on your shirt there. Ever heard of laundry detergent?” He jabbed her in the side with his finger.

            “What’s this ‘de-ter-ge-ant’ of which you speak? My lowly ears have never heard of such a thing.” They smiled at each other, so enveloped in their own joke that they forgot no one else knew they were kidding. They looked at their best friends, both adorned with the same puzzled expression.

            “It’s, uh, something we made up yesterday,” He explained. “Marinette never talked to me because she thought I was shallow.” He looked pointedly in her direction.

            “I didn’t say you were shallow, just that I was confident my feet wouldn’t get wet if I stood in a puddle of you.” She stuck her tongue out.

            “Rush me to the burn unit, I think you reached second degree there.” He put a hand on his chest.

            “At least you can afford health care,” She laughed. He liked how easily it came. Seeing Mari this way was exciting. For so long he’d observed her interactions with others hoping she would warm up to him like that someday. She was easy to like which, he supposed, is why Lila warmed up to her out of everyone else. Mari was kind like that. Seeing her so relaxed reminded him of _her_. For an instant, he pictured Marinette in that red spotted suit which made his cheeks flush. He wished he knew who his red-clad partner really was; what she liked. He got an idea.

            “So, Marinette, you help Alya with the Ladyblog, right?” He asked. Marinette cocked a brow.

            “Sorta, I guess…” She shrugged. “Why?”

            “No reason,” He said too quickly. “Just wondering if you guys wanted to meet up during study hall and talk about her…and Chat Noir of course.” He added quickly.

            “OMG! I have to show you guys the pics I got of them last night!” Alya squealed. “Let’s meet in the library.”

            “Y-Yeah. Sounds great,” Mari sounded less enthused. Smiling to himself, Adrien turned back around. He wanted to know more about his partner and the love of his life. He shamelessly kept up with all of Alya’s blog posts in case she captured anything noteworthy. Maybe it was because his lady was so secretive about her life that made him so desperate to know about her. He watched the seconds tick by impatiently, his mind drifting off into fantasies of who the girl in the red mask could be.

**Marinette**

            “You and Adrien seem close,” Lila commented at lunch that afternoon. The two were sitting together on their usual bench under the shade of a tree. Adrien was a subject they usually avoided, for obvious reasons, so Marinette was surprised when she brought it up. She couldn’t sense any form of jealousy in her voice, just a matter-of-fact statement.

            “We’re just friends, that’s all,” She replied cautiously. She wasn’t sure where Lila stood with her feels for Adrien anymore, so it was best to approach carefully.

            “But you like him,” She stated. Marinette blushed.

            “W-What? N-No…” She stammered, taking a bite of her sandwich timidly.

            “I see the way you look at him, Mari. I’m not blind, ya know.” Lila’s eyes narrowed. Marinette picked at her croissant. Lila took a bite of her sandwich and said nothing more.

            “So…” She started, and Lila cocked a brow. “Is that okay?”

            “Why wouldn’t it be?” Marinette winced in anticipation, but that was it.

            “You’re not jealous?” She pressed. Lila set her sandwich in her lap.

            “Adrien is hot and all, but I already barked up that tree, and you know what?” She looked Marinette in the eye. “I fell, and it hurt, but I’m a big girl. I moved on,” She shrugged. Marinette stared for a minute, examining her face for any indication of a lie, but she felt like it was true. Or maybe she just wanted it to be true. The last thing she wanted was to ruin their friendship over a boy even though she’d had a crush on Adrien long before Lila came around.

            “You should ask him out.” Lila said suddenly.

            “What?” Marinette felt her heart lurch. “I-I can’t!”

            “Why not?” Lila sounded annoyed at the response. Marinette curled into a ball.

            “What if he says no?” She mumbled.

            “Don’t be such a chicken. You’re seeing him during free period, right?” Her face was close to Marinette’s now.

            “Well, yeah, but-”

            “But nothing. Ask him out.” Her voice had a finality to it that kept Marinette from arguing. She hugged her knees to her chest, face flushed. She and Adrien had just become good friends. She didn’t want to ruin that by asking him out now. If he wasn’t interested, he would think she got the wrong idea from his friendship and then things would get awkward and- No. She would wait a little longer to see if he was interested. She glanced at Lila again who seemed unfazed by it all and hoped her friend had been telling the truth.

**Adrien**

            When free period finally came Adrien had to force himself not to rush to the library. Ladybug had been on his mind all day, and he sincerely hoped Alya would have more information on her. After all, Ladybug did seem to give her a lot of private interviews.

            The girls were already in the library when he entered, seemingly engrossed in their conversation.

            “I think she’s right, wow, never thought I’d say that,” Alya was saying as he approached.

            “Who’s right?” He asked as he slid into the seat next to Marinette. Mari nearly jumped out of her skin.

            “N-No one! It’s not important!” She laughed nervously. Seems as though they weren’t close enough for Adrien to be in the loop. He’d often wondered what the two talked about when they were huddled together all the time.

            “Okay…” He shrugged. “So, what’s the latest on Ladybug, Alya?” He tried to sound casual. At the mention of Ladybug, Alya perked up while Marinette seemed to slump.

            “She and Chat Noir were on patrol last night, and they flew right by my house! Check out these pics!” She swiped through some cool pictures leaving Adrien impressed.

            “Nice shots,” He complimented.

            “Thanks. I got so lucky. I usually miss them when they pass by every other night, but not this time!” She grinned triumphantly.

            “I wonder what they do when they’re not being superheroes,” He said as nonchalantly as he could manage.

            “I’m sure they’re probably the coolest kids at their school. If they’re even in school. I’m still not sure about Ladybug’s age,” Alya sighed lost in thought. True, Ladybug had said before that she was older than a high school student, but part of him still hoped she was close to their age. He thought about their conversation last night.

            “I wonder if they’re seeing anyone,” Adrien commented, blushing slightly. The thought of Ladybug with another man made him squeamish. Until last night he’d never considered that Ladybug had someone she loved. Sure, he didn’t really believe she had feelings for him per say, but he’d never thought of her going home to anyone else. He didn’t want to think about that.

            “I think they’re seeing each other,” Alya giggled.

            “What?” Adrien and Marinette said simultaneously.

            “No way, Ladybug is _not_ into him.” Marinette sounded so certain. Adrien felt his stomach drop. He wondered what Ladybug actually thought of Chat Noir. They were partners, obviously, but did she wonder about him? Did she think about him when they weren’t together?

            “How do _you_ know that?” Alya jabbed her friend with her index finger.

            “You can tell by how she acts around him,” Mari explained shifting nervously.

            “I think they seem kind of flirty,” Adrien offered. Or maybe he just wanted Ladybug to be flirting with him.

            “They _are_ flirty, and it’s adorable. I so ship it!” Marinette looked displeased with Alya.

            “I just don’t think it’s practical. If they liked each other wouldn’t that be distracting when they’re fighting?” Marinette said rubbing her neck.

            “Wow, M, I didn’t realize you were so anti-LadyNoir,” Alya gave her a suspicious look.

            “LadyNoir?” Mari’s eyes narrowed in confusion, but there was something else there, Adrien noticed. Disgust?

            “Their ship name on the forums. Everyone ships it,” Alya crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly. Marinette sighed, but Adrien’s heart was racing. “There’s even fan art,” Alya winked which prompted a gag from Marinette. Adrien made a mental note to look up LadyNoir fan art later and to find the forums Alya frequented where people thought he and Ladybug were together.

            “I’d be surprised if they weren’t together secretly. Chat Noir seems to like her anyway,” He cleared his throat hoping he wasn’t being too obvious.

            “Chat Noir is just a playboy,” Marinette rolled her eyes. _Ouch._ Adrien felt a twinge of hurt creep into his chest. After he’d tried so hard to impress Marinette the few times she’d encountered Chat Noir, he never thought he’d made a bad impression.

            “Whatever, girl,” Alya huffed, shoving Mari’s shoulder lightly. “You are not sinking my ship!” Marinette looked slightly annoyed.

            “What makes you think Chat Noir’s a playboy?” Adrien frowned, still stuck on her comment. Playboy seemed kind of harsh. Charming or knightly, maybe, but he was definitely _not_ a playboy!

            “He’s just always so full of himself and showing off all the time,” Mari explained sourly. Adrien admitted he had been showy around her, but only because he wanted to impress her.

            “He’s a superhero, girl. All superheroes are showy,” Alya said pointedly.

            “Maybe he’s trying to impress Ladybug?” He pitched, but Mari wasn’t having it.

            “Yeah, Ladybug and every other girl in Paris,” She grunted. Adrien felt his fists clench. Is that really how Marinette saw Chat Noir? Horror washed over him. What if that’s how Ladybug sees him? No wonder she brushed him off all the time. He’d always thought she was flirting back, but maybe she really didn’t think he was serious.

            “You are such a downer!” Alya groaned. “Well, too bad, iceberg, my ship is unsinkable!” Mari gave an exasperated sigh but didn’t argue further. Adrien wondered why Mari didn’t like Chat Noir. He would have to work on that.

            The bell rang signaling the end of study hall, and they made their way back to class. Adrien wanted to talk more, but the art teacher was…strict.

            Mr. Rosen was a tall, middle-aged, bony man who always seemed to be looking down his nose at, well, everything. His beady eyes seemed to dart around the room at every movement. He stood at the front of the classroom, covered by his smock with hands clasped behind his back as he glared around disapprovingly. What exactly he disapproved of was hard to say.

            “Good afternoon, class,” He sounded bored. “As you all know the school year is coming to a close next week and you will all be out for the summer. I felt it would be a good idea to pick something current for your final projects, so you all will have until the end of the week to paint the savior of Paris, Ladybug!”

**Marinette**

            Mr. Rosen pulled the sheet off of the large canvas to reveal an impressive portrait of Marinette’s secret alter-ego. She felt her stomach do a flip. This was literally the last thing she wanted after spending her free period deflecting whatever LadyNoir ship Alya was sailing on. Alya and Adrien both apparently. She sighed. Why did he have to support that ridiculous cat as her lover? Chat Noir’s feelings were _not_ genuine _._

            “Of course, I don’t expect any of you to produce something this impressive, but I’m certain you all can manage to pull something halfway decent out of your little minds,” He stared lovingly at his own work for a moment before turning his disapproving gaze back to the class.

            “To spark your imaginations, let’s discuss our angelic Ladybug, hmm? What do you first notice about her person?” Mr. Rosen again admired his own work. Ugh. Looks like Ladybug had another crazy fan _._ Marinette cringed. She couldn’t decide who was worse. Mr. Rosen or Chloe? Contemplating what Mr. Rosen probably did with her painting when he was alone only made her feel worse.

            “Her tight ass!” Someone called from the back. Marinette’s stomach dropped to her feet. Suddenly her red skin-hugging suit seemed like a bad idea, and she had to wonder how many boys, and possibly girls, spent alone time with pictures of her. Fortunately, Mr. Rosen looked just as unamused as she felt.

            “Please refrain from using such language in the classroom, we are an esteemed institution,” He scolded. Several students giggled under their breath.

            “Her suit,” Someone else offered. Several more answers came in. Hair, face, bust-much to Marinette’s embarrassment- small waist. Mr. Rosen glared around as if they were all a lost cause.

            “Her eyes,” The voice belonged to Adrien. Though her heart beat accelerated, staining her cheeks red, Marinette breathed a sigh of relief at the shift in the direction of the discussion and that Adrien hadn’t been the one to call out her ass. Even Mr. Rosen perked up.

            “Excellent, Mr. Agreste! Our heroine certainly has lovely eyes like two blue crystals,” He wrote eyes on the board next to focal point. “Your portraits should draw attention to her eyes, the windows to the soul as they say.”

            “What about her sick muscles?” Kim protested. He flexed his own arms as if he were competing, which, knowing Kim, he was.

            “Much less important than her eyes,” Mr. Rosen twitched. “Our lady is in impressive shape, no doubt, but her beauty is angelic. Let us not taint such a pure muse, hmm?” Kim slumped in his chair, folding his arms grumpily.

            “Now, emotion is best expressed in the eyes. What are some emotions associated with Ladybug, Miss Dupain-Cheng, your absence in this discussion will cost you participation points,” He gave her a stern look. A string of profanities ran through her mind as she scrambled for something to say.

            “Uh…confidence?” She offered finally.

            “Yes, she exudes confidence. What else?” Mr. Rosen nodded begrudgingly. Marinette started to feel better as people offered up things like victorious and graceful, something Marinette definitely was not.

            “What about compassion?” Adrien said. Mari stared dreamily at him, forgetting that a while ago he tried to put her with Chat Noir. As far as she was concerned, he was forgiven.

            “I suppose our heroes have shown a great deal of compassion, yes,” He admitted sourly. “Pick an emotion that speaks to you and draw up a rough sketch tonight to be approved tomorrow,” The bell rang to signal the end of school. “Good luck.”

            “Awesome final project, huh?” Adrien had approached her desk while she was putting things away.

            “O-Oh, sure, yeah…” Mari chuckled nervously. “You seem to pay attention to Ladybug.” She teased. To her surprise, his cheeks flushed.

            “She’s amazing,” He said dreamily. “Whoever she’s with, he’s a lucky guy.” She felt her own cheeks flush. Did Adrien _like_ Ladybug?

            “Well, maybe you could have her pose for your sketch,” She suggested.

            “Pfft, that would be a miracle,” He grunted. The idea was already forming in her mind. “Wanna work on our sketches together?”

            “I, uh, actually, I have something I have to do tonight. Ya know, poor baker girl stuff,” She smiled coyly. Adrien took the bait.

            “Don’t forget to wash your shirt,” He grinned, waving as she dashed off. She took the stairs two at a time and bounced impatiently at the light.

            “What are you planning?” Tikki asked skeptically narrowing her eyes. Marinette smiled secretively.

            “You’ll see!” She giggled. The red bug made a disapproving face, but her owner was already dashing across the street to her house.

            “How was school?” Her mother asked as she entered and headed straight for her room.

            “Great! I’ve got a lot of homework, need to focus, I’ll be in my room!” She replied shoving the door to her room open and tossing her school bag on the chaise.

            “We’re going to his house aren’t we?” Tikki sighed.

            “Yep,” Mari grinned. “Transform me!” Tikki rolled her eyes as she got sucked into the Miraculous.

            As Ladybug, she tossed her yoyo in the direction of Adrien’s house and launched off, grinning to herself. She and Adrien were friends, it was the least she could do for him. Alya got private interviews all the time. Adrien could have a model for one picture. Landing on top of his house, she anchored her yoyo on some railing then lowered herself down to his window.

**Adrien**

Adrien dumped his bag on his desk and pulled up the Ladyblog for reference. Her eyes were striking, bright blue against the red and black of her mask. Sometimes her beauty erased every other thought from his mind.

            “Are you gonna make that stupid face all day?” Plagg whined. “At least get me some camembert first.”

            “You ate three wheels at lunch,” Adrien said, a hint of annoyance in his tone.

            “That was hours ago!” Plagg gave him a pleading look.

            “Ya know, sometimes I think you’re more pig than cat.” He reached into his bag and pulled out another container of the rancid cheese his kwami loved so much. The black cat immediately hugged himself to it.

            “Now _this_ is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” He moaned, drool pooling in his mouth.

            “Take that up there. It’s obvious you two need to be alone, and I have work to do,” Adrien pointed to the book loft on the second level. Plagg stuck out his tongue but did as he was told. After a moment his voice interrupted Adrien’s train of thought.

            “We’ve got company clad in red and black!” He called. Adrien spun around to see Ladybug hanging outside his window. She waved with her free hand and pointed to the window.

            _Oh my god._

            “Plagg hide!” He hissed jumping up and running to the window. He grabbed the remote and clicked the button to open the window, and there she was.

 _Ladybug is really at my house._ He thought. Of course she’d been there before, but it was always because of an akuma.

            “Hi,” She smiled once the window was fully opened. It took him a minute to believe what he was seeing as he helped her down. There she was inches from him looking beautiful as always.

            “H-Hi,” He blushed. “What are you doing here?”

            “I heard an art class was painting me this week, so I thought I’d help out,” Her eyes shined with light. “I hope I’m not disturbing you…”

            “No!” He practically shouted. “I-I mean, thank you for…wow, you’re here,” He looked her over in disbelief. Pictures never did her justice; her radiance was best observed in person.

            “You’re welcome,” She giggled causing Adrien’s mind to go blank. Chat Noir had responsibilities that kept him from indulging too much, but Adrien let his mind drift away. “Where should I sit?” She asked after a minute looking around the room. “Nice place, by the way.” Adrien pointed at the couch absentmindedly.

            “Thanks,” He shook himself as she strutted over to the couch and sprawled across it.

            “Is this where I’m supposed to say ‘paint me like one of your French girls’ or something?” She laughed. Adrien’s face turned red.

            “Uh…” He stuttered.

            “Just kidding,” She sat up. Adrien gulped and struggled to regain his composure. His emotions were running wild, and he really didn’t want to make things awkward.

            “Does that mean I’m Jack and you’re Rose?” He chuckled half-heartedly, grabbing his sketchbook off his desk and pulling the chair across the room so he could sit in front of her.

            “If you’d like,” She winked. Adrien swallowed down the raging hormones as he sat down. She seemed different. Almost…flirty?

            “Either way, how do you want me?” She asked. Adrien covered his mouth to stifle a laugh, face turning scarlet once more. “I-I mean, how should I pose for the picture!” She added quickly, cheeks reddening as well.

            “Whatever makes you comfortable,” He cleared his throat and opened his sketchbook, shifting to cross his legs for a reason that was becoming apparent.

            “It’s nice of you to do this,” He said, hoping to calm himself with conversation. She flashed a 100-watt smile which only made matters worse.

            “I don’t mind,” She insisted. “How’s this?” She sat in a relaxed position, legs stretched along the sofa, elbow resting on the arm. Adrien shifted again.

            “It’s fine,” He blushed.

            “Are you sure?” She asked. “I can do something more dramatic if you want. It’s your picture.”

            “Do you have something in mind?” How did he manage to keep his cool as Chat Noir? Plagg most likely, he figured. Ladybug tapped her chin in thought. She glanced back at the image he’d pulled up on the Ladyblog causing Adrien to blush out of embarrassment.

            “Uh, that was for reference!” He explained, but she didn’t seem to mind. The picture was one of many of her swinging through Paris with her yoyo. Carefree and agile. Radiant like the sun.

            “Want me to do something like that?” She asked.

            “Uh, would you be able to hold it for long?” He cocked a brow. _Just keep your cool._

            “Fair point,” She conceded. “What did you have in mind?” She trained those eyes back on him. He wasn’t at liberty to say what was on his mind at the moment.

            “Well, we talked about different emotions that describe you, confident, proud, compassionate…” His voice trailed off as he focused on his burning problem. He hated how weak he was when not transformed.

            “Which one do you think best describes me?” She tilted her head slightly. God she was cute. He clenched his jaw and set his sketchbook in his lap which helped mask the problem.

            “Well, y-you’re always helping people, so I think you’re pretty compassionate,” He blushed rubbing the back of his neck.

            “That’s so sweet,” She gasped. “Thank you.”

            “I feel like I should be the one thanking you. You’re always saving me and now you’re helping me with school…You’re amazing,” His heart pounded in his chest. She blushed.

            “It’s kind of my job,” She bit back a smile. “Well, if you want my compassionate side, why don’t we go find something for me to do?” She stood up.

            “N-Now?” He gulped. Moving wasn’t on his list of good ideas at the moment.

            “Why not?” She did that adorable head tilt again and extended her hand to help him up.

            “Uh,” He fished for an excuse. “It’s hot out!”

 _And in here._ He thought to himself.

            “Oh…” He dared to look up at her.

 “Actually, hold that pose…” He grabbed his pencil and gingerly shifted to mask his problem when he lifted his sketchbook.

            “This one?” She held her hand out to him again.

            “Is that alright?” He asked.

            “Sure,” She smiled kindly.

            “Good, that’s perfect,” He gulped and shakily started sketching. Focusing on drawing helped a little, but she was even closer now. He quickly got her basic outline down so she could sit back down. Her closeness only made his heart beat faster.

 Being the son of an esteemed fashion designer had its perks. Adrien was a halfway decent artist, so the sketching didn’t take too long. He glanced up at her smiling down at him and found himself getting lost in her eyes. Very rarely did he have an opportunity to admire her in person as they were usually busy saving the city.

            “Everything alright?” She asked after a while. He swore internally.

            “Y-Yeah, you’re just so beautiful…” That slipped out. He kicked himself mentally, but she looked genuinely touched.

            “You give me more credit than I deserve,” She laughed, clearly embarrassed.

            “But you are beautiful,” He looked up into those earnest blue eyes. They softened when they met his. What happened next he still couldn’t believe. He took her outstretched hand and tugged lightly stretching up to meet her halfway. He half expected her to slap him, to at least pull away, but to his surprise, and delight, her lips pressed against his without hesitation. Her lips were as soft as they looked and tasted faintly of vanilla lip balm. When it ended, Adrien’s head spun wildly. Their eyes locked for a moment before she pulled him to his feet and their lips united once again. He made sure to keep an appropriate distance between their bodies so she didn’t discover how excited he really felt that she was in his room kissing him. In that moment, she was the only one that mattered, just her lips on his, her hands on his chest. He loved her. In that moment more than ever he was sure of that. He’d decided a long time ago that no matter who she was, she was the girl he wanted to be with.

            The kiss was soft, innocent, the exact opposite of the fire burning inside him, but he didn’t dare sabotage the moment. He wished it would last forever, but after an amazing moment it was time to pull away. Her face was red when he opened his eyes.

            “S-Sorry!” He stuttered. “You probably have a boyfriend.” At that she laughed, rubbing the back of her neck.

            “Well, there’s a guy I like…” She glanced back at him, biting her lip.

            “R-Right! I’m really sorry!” He held up apologetic hands.

            “Yeah, he’s kind of this really hot model, so…” She pursed her lips.

            “I hope he realizes how lucky he is,” He slumped a little. She giggled.

            “Do you?” Wait. He pointed at himself, and she gave a small nod.

            “R-Really?” She bit her lip again. “I-Wow,” He breathed out, running a hand through his hair while shoving the other in his pocket.

            “Is that okay?” Her mask furrowed, a worried expression setting in.

            “I-Yes!” He laughed which seemed to relieve her. So the guy she liked had been him all along? He immediately felt silly for being jealous. Wait. _“I talked to a boy I like today.”_ Her words rang through his mind. “So, do we know each other in normal life?” How many girls had he talked to yesterday? Way too many.

            “Uh, n-not really,” She fidgeted nervously. “We go to the same school, but-” She caught her mistake and clamped her hand over her mouth. Adrien’s heart exploded in his chest. Ladybug went to his school!

            “I should go.” She made her way to the window quickly.

            “Wait!” He called, but she had already jumped onto the frame. “Talk to me tomorrow, so I know who you are!”

            “I-I can’t! It’s not like we’re in the same class or anything!” She cupped her hand over her mouth again. Adrien felt his mouth stretch into a grin. “We’re not!” She pointed.

            “Okay,” He laughed.

            “Just the same school,” She insisted, clearly flustered.

            “I believe you,” He crossed his arms over his chest. With an embarrassed groan, she tossed her yoyo and flew off. They went to the same school. She liked him! He had unknowingly talked to her before. Realization washed over him turning his face scarlet. _How have I not noticed her?_

            “Well, that was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever witnessed,” Plagg gagged floating down beside him.

            “She kissed me,” He sighed slowly lowering to the floor. The black cat did seem happy for him but chose sass over sincerity.

            “She goes to your school, and you’ve never even realized, genius. Some adoring fan you are!” The cat snickered.

            “Shut up, Plagg.”

* * *

Author's Notes:

Posting a little early ;) 

Oh, Adrien, poor soul.

The next three chapters were kind of brainstormed in a private RP I did with tumblr user xenethis-chimera, so look him up cause he's a cool guy :) 

Don't get too comfortable on any of the ships cause I'm going to shake some of them up ;)

As always let me know what you think in the comments, and I'll see you guys next week! :)

 


	4. Honest Confessions

Chapter Four: Honest Confessions

 

Ladybug stared at the traffic below from someone’s roof; she hadn’t paid attention when she left Adrien’s house. Her brain was spinning, she couldn’t think straight, and her chest felt tight. She never expected any of that to happen, never imagined Adrien would suddenly kiss her! _He kissed me!_ Burying her face in her knees, she replayed their last moments together. She’d gotten distracted. She’d gotten stupid. Did she say too much? Would Adrien figure out who she was?

She contemplated her intentions for going to his house. Did she really believe it was because Adrien was her friend? That she genuinely just wanted to do something nice for him? Or had she been selfish because Adrien seemed so impressed with her? She’d flirted with him, sure, but she never expected him to _kiss_ her. Remembering the softness of his lips made her face burn. Was it abuse of power to flirt with your crush as a superhero? Was she technically lying to him? She wasn’t sure of anything anymore.

A hand on her shoulder startled her. Retaliating, she immediately grabbed the suspect’s hand and swung around them, twisting their arm behind their back as she did so. A male voice she knew too well yelped in pain.

“Easy, LB! Just me!” Chat growled sinking to his knees as he tried to escape her grip.

“Chat! Don’t scare me like that,” She released her hold and helped him to his feet. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” He rubbed his shoulder sorely. “I was just out getting some fresh air, I saw you curled up over here looking bummed out, and I thought you could use some cheering up,” Ladybug sighed and slumped back down, hugging her knees to her chest.

“Does this have something to do with the guy you like?” He asked plopping down beside her. She gave him a look. “Can you blame me for being interested?” He huffed. She rocked back and forth slightly, pursing her lips in thought.

“I did something bad,” She bit at her nails through her suit. Chat waggled his eyebrows suggestively prompting Ladybug to shove him over. “Not like that, you perv!” She rolled her eyes. He straightened himself and looked at her eagerly. She shifted uncomfortably. It’s not that she didn’t trust Chat Noir, but admitting her fluke was really embarrassing. After all, she was supposed to be the collected one, but when it came to Adrien she lost her cool.

“I tried to do something nice and got carried away…” Chat Noir bit back a smirk. “I’m not going to tell you if you can’t be mature!”

“Sorry, my lady, keep going,” He snickered. She shrugged.

“I said too much and now I worry he’ll find out who I am…” She traced patterns in the dust with her finger.

“If you like him why is that a bad thing?” Chat asked pointedly, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Because! What if he doesn’t like me for me?” Chat just stared at her, mouth hanging open. “Ugh, this is the last time I confide in you!” She turned away from him, cheeks burning with embarrassment.

“No, hey!” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, I just really don’t think that’s a problem. You’re amazing, and I’m sure you’re just as great under the mask,” His voice sounded sincere. She turned back to face him, crossing her arms stubbornly. He lifted her chin to meet his gaze, green eyes soft and sympathetic. “Look, I’ve wanted to say this for a while. You’re the most incredible girl I’ve ever met. You’re wicked smart and the bravest person I know. A little hot-headed at times, but who isn’t?” He smiled down at her. “And…I love you, and I-”

 Ladybug placed a finger over his lips, heart racing. He couldn’t be serious. Sure, he flirted with her all the time, but he was never serious about it…was he? She thought about Adrien and Alya in the library earlier that day. Did Chat Noir really love her?

“Chat…” She started, mind whirling. “I’m flattered, but I think things should stay the way they are between us.” His eyes widened.

“But I’m-”

“Look, what we do is important, and we need to stay focused on saving lives, not each other…” She heard her voice growing in volume, annoyance flaring, but it trailed off as his face fell, ears drooping. “I’m sorry, Chat, but I think it’s for the best.” She stood up and tossed her yoyo angrily across town.

“Ladybug, wait!” He called reaching for her. “I’m-” But she had already leapt from the roof leaving Chat standing alone, hand still outstretched for her.

***

Morning came too quickly, and Marinette’s mind still raced with questions as she sluggishly shuffled through her morning routine. Would Adrien know it was her? Why did Chat Noir confess his feelings if he knew she liked someone else? Jealousy, perhaps, Chat liked attention.

“Are you alright? You’ve been quiet since last night,” Tikki’s eyes narrowed worriedly.

“I’ve just got a lot on my mind,” Marinette muttered quietly. The red kwami pressed against her owner’s cheek affectionately. “I had to open my big mouth, and now Adrien’s going to find out I’m Ladybug, and he’s going to hate me because I lied to him, and it’s going to be awkward between us forever, and I’m going to die alone,” She paced back and forth across her floor.

“You’d still have Chat Noir,” Tikki giggled. Marinette groaned, annoyance flaring inside her.

“Don’t even get me started on that alley cat. What was he thinking?” She rubbed her temples.

“You didn’t let him finish, you know,” Tikki said pointedly.

“I really don’t want to know what he wanted to say after ‘I love you,’” She sighed. “Come on, I’m gonna be late.” Tikki retreated into her purse as Marinette gathered her things and headed out.

When she made it to class, Adrien sat quietly in his desk looking deep in thought. She didn’t want to give any indication that she felt awkward for fear he’d realize it was her, so she approached casually and waved.

“Thinking about what color you want the interior of your private jet to be?” She teased. Adrien smirked, seemingly not suspicious much to her relief.

“No, I was actually just wondering if your baker’s dozen is still just twelve because you’re so poor,” He shot back.

“Ouch! You win this round, Agreste,” She placed a hand over her heart. He looked worried for a moment.

“Too far?” His eyebrows furrowed.

“Not if you let me ride in your jet later,” She joked, sticking her tongue out. He smiled, relaxing a bit.

“Deal,” The two shook on it, and Marinette took her seat, relieved that he didn’t seem to openly suspect her.

“Dude, you never took me for a ride in your jet,” Nino feigned offence, swatting his friend’s shoulder.

“You’ve never asked,” Adrien laughed.

“Can a certain Ladyblogger get in on this jet party?” Alya chimed in; Adrien paused for a moment eying her.

“That reminds me, I have to talk to you two about Ladybug later.” He said glancing between the two girls sitting above him. Marinette tensed. The moment she feared. If she was forced to talk about Ladybug, he’d figure her out for sure. She needed an excuse to divert them.

“I have to finish my sketch for art class later,” Not technically a lie. She’d been too preoccupied with other things last night that kind of made it hard to be in the mood to draw herself. Especially when she was so disappointed in herself and her stupid big mouth.

“You didn’t do it last night?” Adrien cocked a brow.

“I was, er, busy…with stuff,” She winced as his eyes narrowed curiously.

“Don’t even waste your breath, dude,” Alya shook her head knowingly. “Marinette is always “busy” with “stuff” that she never talks about, just get used to it,” She made air quotes to emphasize her point.

Adrien eyed her, causing the hairs on her neck to stand on end. True, she kept her excuses vague because she hated lying, and piling on details only made lies harder to keep up. Plus, she had a reputation for being a terrible liar, and everyone knew that. The entrance of Ms. Bustier forced Adrien to turn his attention back to the front allowing Marinette to breathe a quiet sigh of relief.

On one hand, she wanted to avoid the situation at all costs, but she also wanted to know what information Adrien would relay from their visit. Would he mention the kiss? What did that make them? Were they together now? No! She blushed. Still, the memory of his lips against hers gave her chills. None of her first kiss fantasies with Adrien involved her being Ladybug, but she would take what she could get.

When lunch time rolled around, the sky had opened up into a torrential downpour. Pop up showers weren’t uncommon for that time of year, but it meant Marinette and Lila couldn’t have lunch together outside. Instead, the two girls too refuge in the library while the storm raged on.

“What are you drawing?” Lila asked peering over Marinette’s shoulder as she took a bite of her apple.

“Art project,” Marinette sighed. “Apparently Mr. Rosen is a huge Ladybug fan.” Lila gagged.

“I don’t know what people see in her,” She grumbled. Marinette winced. Ladybug was another topic they normally didn’t bring up.

“She’s a superhero, and she and Chat Noir save people,” Mari offered weakly. Befriending Lila was Marinette’s way of making up for her actions as Ladybug, but Lila still held a grudge even if she’d given up on Adrien.

“Well, she was a real bitch to me, so I guess I don’t see the appeal. I mean, you’d make a much better Ladybug in my opinion.” She elbowed Marinette playfully.

“What? Me? Pff, no, I wouldn’t be- I’m way too clumsy,” Marinette waved it off. She could feel the sweat pooling under her arms.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. You’d probably trip off a roof or something,” Lila laughed, and Marinette did her best to join her. Too many people were getting dangerously close to finding out her secret. “But seriously, you’re really great, Mari,” Lila sighed, leaning her head on her shoulder. “You always do the nice thing. It’s disgusting, but you’re such a great friend. That’s why everyone likes you.” Marinette blushed.

“Not everyone likes me,” She said half-heartedly.

“Well, okay, Chloe might hate you, but it’s only out of jealousy.” Marinette gave her a questioning look so she continued, “Chloe might down on you, but secretly, she wishes she were you. Boys like you more, you’re friends with practically everyone in school, you beat her out as class rep, and Adrien gives you more attention than her.”

“You’re full of it! Only a couple of guys have had crushes on me all year, and Adrien gives Chloe plenty of attention.” Lila rolled her eyes.

“When you’re practically invisible to everyone, you overhear a lot of things, Mari. Yesterday in the girl’s locker room, Chloe admitted that she hated how chummy you and Adrien have gotten. Then in gym class I overheard Kim teasing Max about having a crush on you.”

“Kim teases everyone about crushing on people they don’t actually like. He’s just trying to stir up trouble,” Mari interjected.

“Maybe, but Max seemed pretty embarrassed. I also overheard some of the underclassmen giggling about you in the courtyard the other day. They apparently think you’re really cute.” She poked Marinette’s flushed cheeks. “Everyone pays attention to you, and Chloe hates it. The only reason people are nice to her is because they’re scared of her.”

Marinette had never thought about it like that. Chloe had been tormenting her since kindergarten, but she’d always assumed that’s just how Chloe was, mean and bratty.

“Even if you’re right, Chloe can just buy whatever she wants,” Mari offered, but Lila wasn’t convinced.

“Money only gets you so far, trust me. Everyone hates her, even you, and that’s saying something.” Lila said pointedly. Marinette guessed she was right. She wasn’t a particularly angry person in general, usually only when it came to Chloe.

“Fair enough, I suppose,” Marinette conceded. She turned her attention back to her drawing. Confidence was the emotion she was going for, but given her current state, she felt anything but confident in her actions. Sure, posing for Adrien had started out as a nice favor from a friend, but it turned into a flirt-fest really quickly. Adrien had offered to work on the sketches with Marinette, but she was the one who decided to turn into Ladybug. She was getting worse than Chat Noir. No, Marinette felt far from confident in that moment.

In frustration, she scribbled over the drawing and ripped it out, crinkling it into a ball. Lila eyed her curiously.

“Didn’t like it,” She explained with a nervous laugh. “I’m kind of picky.” Lila shrugged it off, the answer seeming to be good enough for her. Marinette considered how she felt in that moment. How she’d felt on the roof. Ashamed? Very. Confused? Extremely. Her biggest flaw was that she couldn’t control her emotions, especially when Adrien was involved. He made her so reckless. She glanced at Lila nibbling on a bagel beside her, remembering how she’d almost given up her Miraculous over Adrien.

Master Fu had instilled so much clarity in her, but all she’d done since was screw up. Chat Noir never let his feelings keep him from doing what was right, whatever those feelings were. She made a promise to herself to embrace Ladybug and her destiny, but how could she do that if she couldn’t control herself?

She turned her gaze back to her sketch pad, a new idea forming in her brain. Scarcely aware of the time passing, she sketched her portrait with deliberate hands. Everyone saw her as this amazing, perfect girl when, in reality, she was afraid. Afraid of letting everyone down, afraid of losing the ones she cared about, afraid of failing. But she never let it stop her because she had people to protect, people counting on her. She held up the drawing to examine it more fully.

“Done,” She smiled proudly.

“Wow, that’s really awesome, Marinette,” She jumped, turning to see Adrien leaning over her shoulder. Lila was gone and with a quick glance at the clock, she realized lunch had ended. “What emotion did you pick?”

“Fear,” She said quietly, shifting awkwardly, cheeks pink with embarrassment.

“Interesting. No one ever thinks about that kind of stuff,” He slid into the chair next to her, tilting his head curiously. “What made you pick that?”

This was not a good situation for her to be in. Alone. With Adrien. Talking about Ladybug in a personal way. If she seemed too knowing, Adrien would piece it together for sure.

“I-I dunno,” She shrugged. “I just thought it would be a different approach.”

“Do you really think Ladybug gets scared?” He cocked a brow.

“Of course she does, all the time,” She said with too much certainty. “I-I mean, I imagine she does anyway, doesn’t everyone get scared?” Adrien leaned in closer, eyes glowing playfully.

“And what scares you?” He asked softly. Marinette blushed as his breath swirled around her cheeks, his eyes locked with hers.

“Honestly?” She cocked a brow. She leaned in a little closer as if she were telling him a secret. “I’m deathly afraid of clowns.” She whispered. Adrien leaned back and laughed. Marinette looked offended.

“Sorry,” He stifled his laugh unsuccessfully. “You’re right, they’re terrifying.”

“Alright, your turn,” She prompted, nudging him with her elbow.

“Oh me? I’m not scared of anything.” He fibbed. Marinette gave him a look, so he motioned for her to lean in closer. “Truthfully, I’m actually really scared of Chloe, but don’t tell her!” It was Marinette’s turn to laugh. She cupped a hand over her mouth as several students glared at them.

“What’s so funny?” Alya asked, setting her bag on the table and taking the seat across from them.

“Marinette’s making fun of me for being scared of koalas.” Adrien teased.

“Whatever,” She huffed. Adrien winked then turned to Alya who was doing her best to hide her smirk.

“So, what did you wanna tell us about Ladybug?” Alya jumped straight to the point. And after Marinette had gone to such lengths to steer their conversation away from a certain superheroine.

“It was weird. I ran into her yesterday,” He began. Okay, ran into was a safe fib, one Marinette was grateful for.

“Really? Where?” Alya leaned in closer.

“Uh…near the Eiffel Tower.” Not technically a lie. Adrien’s house wasn’t that far from the famous landmark.

“What was she doing? Did you talk to her? What about?” Alya had pulled out her camera. Adrien seemed unfazed by it, but Mari scooted out of the shot purposefully.

“Uh, I dunno. But anyways, I told her about our art project, and she offered to pose for me.” He blushed slightly, probably recalling what happened next.

“No way! She posed for you?” Adrien nodded. “Can we see the sketch?”

“It’s still kinda rough,” He said rubbing the back of his neck nervously, but after a look from Alya he pulled his sketchbook out of his bag and flipped to the page. The drawing was much more detailed than when she’d left after…the kiss.

“That’s a sick sketch! You really nailed the eyes,” Alya leaned in closer to get a better view.

“Thanks. They’re supposed to be our focal point,” Adrien set the notebook down.

“So, what did you guys talk about while she was posing?” Alya continued. Adrien shifted nervously.

“The project mostly, but I did get one important detail out of her.” Oh no. If word got out that Ladybug went to their school it wouldn’t be long before people followed the breadcrumb trail back to Marinette. She needed to do something.

“Oh?” Alya cocked a brow. But what could she do? If she tried to keep Adrien from telling Alya it would be suspicious. On the other hand, if she let Adrien tell Alya, she’d put it on the blog and then everyone would be on the lookout, and Marinette already had trouble hiding her double-life as it was! Why did she have to get distracted by Adrien’s stupid green eyes and run her mouth? Subconsciously, she clutched her purse as if to pull Tikki closer to protect her.

“Actually, I think it’s best if this stays between us,” Adrien said pointing to Alya’s camera. “I don’t want people harassing her about it.” To Marinette’s relief, Alya begrudgingly put her phone away then leaned in closer. “I don’t think she meant to, but she kind of admitted that she goes to school here.” He whispered.

“I knew it!” Alya jumped up excitedly prompting several agitated growls from other students. Adrien immediately shushed her.

“I only tell you because you’re her biggest fan, but I think she really wants to keep her identity on the down low.”

“Dude, you just jumped to the top of my list of good sources. I’m gonna find her out for sure, and when I do, I promise I’ll tell you guys!” Adrien gave her a look. “Okay, and Nino, but that’s it, I swear!” She placed one hand on her heart and held the other in the air. “You three and no one else. How cool would it be if we became friends with her?” Realization dawned on her. “What if we already know her?”

“She did also admit that she’s spoken to me recently, though not that often before.” This was escalating quickly. She needed to clear her name before they dug too deep.

“Okay, so all we need to do is list every girl in school and weed out the ones you for sure have not spoken to in the last…two weeks?” Alya estimated.

“More like the last three days,” Adrien added.

“Even better!” She grinned. “So, who are all of our suspects?” Alya pulled up a list on her phone.

“Basically every girl in our class.” He said.

“Except me and Alya, right?” Marinette interjected.

“Whoa, whoa, why are _you_ on the safe list?” Alya cocked a brow. Marinette felt pools of sweat forming under her arms as they both trained their eyes on her. That backfired. That backfired quickly. _Think of something, Marinette!_

“Because…if I was Ladybug, I…would have told you?” She offered lamely then added, “And I assume you would do the same for me?” Alya smiled, cupping her hands over her heart.

“Aww, girl, you know I’d tell you. I was only kidding. If you really were Ladybug, there’s no way I wouldn’t know because you’re a terrible liar.” She laughed. Adrien seemed to accept it as well, so Mari relaxed. _That was way too close._

“You got me there,” She chuckled nervously. To her relief, the bell to end free period sounded overhead.

“Make me a list of every girl you remember talking to lately, and we’ll regroup tomorrow!” Alya instructed. Adrien nodded and waved as the girl dashed off, a new excitement coursing through her. He turned to Marinette.

“Who do you think she really is?” He asked, green eyes staring dreamily at her, or more like through her, she realized.

“I dunno, I just think if she wanted us to know she would tell us. Trying to figure her out like this seems…wrong.” She shrugged.

“Don’t you want to know who she is?” He looked at her in bewilderment.

“I guess, but what happens after we know? Do you really think she’ll be friends with us just because we find out her secret? Won’t she be angry?” Adrien considered it for a while.

“I guess I never thought about it like that. She’s so nice, I assumed she wouldn’t mind,” He looked back at her. “You really know how to think rationally, Marinette,” He grinned, sounding impressed. _You have no idea._ She thought guiltily.

Mr. Rosen seemed eager as the students piled in, a first for the year. When everyone had taken their seats he clasped his hands behind his back and moved to the center of the room.

“I’ll be coming by to approve your sketches and offer my expert advice before you all move forward. I’m interested to see what you all came up with,” He sneered. Marinette loved art, but Mr. Rosen managed to make her favorite subject miserable. He could be…over-critical to say the least.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, what emotion have you chosen for this…You haven’t captured her heroic-essence,” Marinette didn’t even know what that meant, and she was Ladybug!

“I wanted to show her in a different light. Everyone has something they’re scared of, so I picked fear,” She explained, but Mr. Rosen snorted, rolling his eyes.

“Though I disagree entirely, I can’t argue that you lack imagination. Very well, you’d better impress me with your final product if you hope to receive a passing grade,” He walked on to rip apart the next student. Marinette rolled her eyes and glanced over at Adrien who was surprisingly looking at her. She felt her cheeks flush as he offered an encouraging smile.

“Harsh,” He mouthed glaring at Mr. Rosen behind his back. She moved her shoulders in an exaggerated sigh.

“I know, right?” She mouthed back.

“I liked it,” He nodded at the picture on her desk.

“Thanks,” She smiled. “I like yours too.” Adrien returned the smile briefly before Mr. Rosen made it to his desk.

“Excellent detail on the eyes, Mr. Agreste. However, you have softened her features a bit too much. Let us not forget our lady is strong and courageous.” Adrien sighed as he walked away, glancing back at Marinette who shook her head disapprovingly. Mr. Rosen was more fired up about this than usual, clearly he was passionate about Ladybug’s representation, even if Marinette couldn’t care less if people drew her with two heads.

When class finally ended, Marinette packed her things back in her backpack. Tikki looked up at her worriedly.

“We need to keep an eye on Alya and Adrien,” She whispered. Marinette nodded in response as Adrien approached.

“Hey, Marinette, wanna work on our chemistry homework together?” He offered.

“Sure,” She blushed. Adrien wanted to hang out! _Calm down, Marinette. You’re friends now, that’s what friends do._

“Cool, your place?” He cocked a brow.

“Uh…sure,” She sounded unsure, so Adrien’s eyebrows knitted together.

“I-Is that alright?” He asked.

“Yeah! It’s fine. I don’t mind. Let’s go,” She slung her bag over her shoulder and walked swiftly to the door. Thankfully, she’d taken down all of her Adrien photos weeks ago. Despite that, she still felt nervous being alone with him, especially after he’d spent all night drawing her face in detail.

“I hope my hovel doesn’t put you off,” She joked as they walked down the front steps. Adrien nudged her playfully.

“Trust me, I’d take your house over mine any day,” He said somewhat bitterly.

“But your house is huge! You could fit twelve of my houses in yours,” She laughed, but Adrien seemed somber.

“You’d be surprised how small it can feel,” He muttered. Mari glanced at him gazing off into the distance. He seemed…lonely almost. It felt wrong, out of place on him. Marinette wanted to reach out and snatch it, to take away all of his hurt and give him the happiness he deserved, but after a brief moment he smiled.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to be a downer, it’s just…nice at your house. Your parents are kind and…everything they should be,” He was smiling, but Marinette could still see the hurt lingering in his eyes. They’d reached the door to her house, but Marinette hesitated for a moment then turned to face him. She’d never thought about him like that. Thought that he could feel lonely in that big house. That it could feel like a cage, a prison cell cutting him off from the world. No. She’d always assumed he had everything, but in reality he had everything but what he wanted most. Freedom.

Slowly, she stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around him, leaning her head on his chest, a sympathetic gesture from a friend. Adrien tensed at first then slowly let himself melt into her embrace, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

“Thank you, Mari,” He said quietly after a while. When she let go he was smiling again, this time more genuinely. She returned the expression warmly then opened the door, leading the way up the stairs to the third floor.

“Welcome home, sweetie.” Her mother greeted as they entered.

“Mom, you remember Adrien, right?” Marinette gestured to him as he gave a timid wave.

“Of course, so nice to see you again,” Mrs. Cheng smiled giving Marinette a knowing look. Marinette shook her head slightly, face setting into a scowl.

“You too, Mrs. Cheng. I hope it’s alright that I’m here,” Adrien said politely. Sabine’s eyes trained back on him, and she smiled kindly.

“All of Marinette’s friends are welcome any time. Make yourself at home, dear,” She assured him.

“We’ll be in my room working on school stuff,” Mari said leading the way up to her room.

“I’ll have your father make some snacks!” Sabine called as Mari pushed the trap door open. She scanned the room quickly for any stray pictures of Adrien, but the coast was clear, so she climbed up.

“Sorry, it’s a mess,” She said as he entered. “Not all of us have maids.” Adrien smiled thoughtfully.

“No, I like it. You can tell someone actually lives here.” He said as he glanced around. “It’s very you, Marinette.”

“Thanks, I think,” She tilted her head to the side. “It’s nothing compared to your room-I bet,” She added quickly, remembering she’d only ever visited his room as Ladybug. He didn’t seem to notice her flub and simply shrugged.

“I have a lot of cool stuff, I guess, but my father never really lets anyone come over, so it’s all kind of a waste.” He sighed. Marinette eyed him worriedly, but after a few seconds he perked back up. “So, chemistry…” He said, changing the subject, but Marinette still wondered about him. He’d only let it slip for a few moments, but she felt like there was more he was hiding.

“You can talk to me, ya know. I-I mean, if you want,” She felt her face heat up as his eyes narrowed. “I, just, um, never mind. Sorry, I wasn’t trying to pry or anything…” She turned to her textbook awkwardly and stared at it hoping he would let it drop.  She jumped slightly as his hand came to rest on her shoulder gently. She dared to look up into his sad green eyes.

“Thanks. That means a lot, Mari,” He said softly. “You’re a good friend.” She smiled, and they turned back to their homework. After a while of working, the trap door swung open, and Tom poked his head up.

“I just pulled a pie out of the oven and the ice cream I made this morning should be nice and frozen by now. Why don’t you two take a break?” He offered. Adrien glanced at her pleadingly.

“Sure, papa. We’ll be down in a minute,” She replied. Tom smiled cheerfully and retreated back down the stairs.

“Your dad makes his own ice cream?” Adrien asked, eyebrows raising in surprise.

“Yeah, he makes it a lot in the summer just for us.” She said, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“Wow, I might have to hang out here more often,” He kidded as they made their way down the stairs.

“Shouldn’t you be watching your figure? Can’t have the face of Gabriel Agreste’s brand getting chubby.” She laughed. Adrien rolled his eyes.

“Please, on top of fencing and karate, my dad makes sure I get plenty of exercise. I’ll most likely run this off tomorrow, so let me indulge,” He tugged on her pigtail playfully. Marinette’s father had already prepared plates for them when they made it to the kitchen.

“It’s blueberry, your favorite,” He smiled, tapping Marinette’s nose affectionately.

“Thanks, papa,” Mari giggled, stretching up to kiss his cheek before climbing onto the stool at the table. Adrien settled in next to her shyly.

“School’s almost out for the summer. Got any plans?” Tom asked conversationally as they ate.

“My dad usually has a lot of fashion shows that he likes to drag me to, so I usually end up travelling a lot,” Adrien replied. “I can see why this is your favorite, Marinette. It’s delicious!” He grinned much to Tom’s delight.

“That sounds like fun,” Marinette sighed dreamily. She would kill to go to one of Gabriel’s fashion shows.

“Travelling gets old, especially when you’re not allowed to go see what you want to see. If I’m not doing a photoshoot, I get bored pretty quickly.” He sighed.

“Marinette just loves your father’s work. She’s always got her nose buried in magazines.” Tom chuckled.

“Dad!” Marinette gave him a look, cheeks flushing.

“My dad was really impressed with your hat design, Marinette. You’re a really talented designer,” Adrien nudged her with his elbow. She felt the heat of her blush as she picked at her pie nervously.

“She’s very modest about it, but she’s going to give your dad a run for his money one day,” Tom pinched her cheek.

“No doubt!” Adrien grinned at her encouragingly. Marinette cleared her throat and changed the subject.

“So, the new Mecha Strike is coming out in a few weeks,” She said taking a large bite of pie.

“And we’ll have all summer to play it, too! You should come over when you’re in town, Adrien. I can teach you how to beat Marinette,” Tom winked. Adrien smiled at her smugly.

“So, she has a weakness?” He cocked a brow interestedly.

“No!” Marinette huffed as Tom said, “Definitely!” Adrien’s grin widened.

“I’ll definitely be around if you make this ice cream as often as Marinette says you do, Mr. Dupain,” He laughed.

“Of course! I’m sure Marinette would love to have you over more often, too,” Tom smiled at her knowingly.

“Well, that was a nice break, but we should really get back to studying. Wouldn’t want to get bad grades on our finals!” She stood up, glaring daggers at her dad who winked in amusement. Adrien shoveled the last of his ice cream into his mouth, waving gratefully to Tom as he followed Marinette back to her room.

“You really shouldn’t be embarrassed about your designs, ya know. I really do think they’re awesome.” He said sincerely. Marinette felt her face heat up.

“Thanks,” She smiled.

“You’re welcome,” He returned the expression warmly.

“My dad really likes you. He offered to teach you his gaming tricks.” She giggled as they settled back into their chairs.

“And I’m honored,” He put a hand on his chest.

“I’ll just have to get better, so neither of you can beat me.” She grinned, flipping back to their chemistry assignment.

“Challenge accepted,” He bumped her with his shoulder.

They worked together until they finished, and Adrien leaned back in his chair. Marinette fished for a reason to make him stay longer, disliking the option she came up with.

“So, Ladybug is really a student at our school, huh?” She said thoughtfully. Adrien perked up.

“I know! I’m so close to finding out who she really is,” He grinned excitedly.

“You really like her then?” At that he blushed, but to her surprise he turned the conversation around.

“And you seem to really hate Chat Noir,” He cocked a brow. “What’s that about?”

“I don’t hate him,” She said defensively. “I’ve only met him a few times, and he just seems like he’s really impressed with himself.” She shrugged. She thought about his confession the night before, annoyance flickering inside of her.

“Wouldn’t you be if you had superpowers?” He asked giving her a look. Marinette didn’t like how this conversation was going.

“I mean, I guess, maybe, but I’m not exactly the show-offy type,” She replied. Did she show off as Ladybug? Not intentionally. Unless someone got on her nerves like Lila or Chloe. Much to her relief Adrien laughed.

“No, I guess you’re right. You’re way too modest,” He smiled at her making her heart race.

“What about you?” She prompted. He tapped his chin for a moment in thought.

“I’d probably show off a little…” He admitted. “But mostly to people I wanted to impress. I think that’s how Chat Noir is.” Marinette had never considered the reasoning behind Chat’s behavior but merely accepted it as who he was. It’s not like she knew who he was under the mask, nor did she care to know. Despite his behavior, she always knew she could count on him to have her back, and part of her enjoyed the bantering even if she’d never admit it to him. She thought of him again and a sliver of guilt crept in for the first time.

What if Chat were more like Adrien? Would she feel differently about him? Could he actually be acting out just to get her attention? They would see each other later on their patrol, and for once she felt anxious about seeing him. Up to this point she’d been so annoyed with him that she hadn’t stopped to consider that maybe she’d hurt him by rejecting him the way she did.

“I guess…I never thought about him being different as a civilian,” She said thoughtfully. “What if he and Ladybug are completely different people when they’re not transformed?” Adrien considered it, his face falling slightly.

“Do you really think she’d be that different in real life?” He sounded…worried?

“If she does go to our school, she doesn’t draw much attention to herself. I mean, no one we know really fits her persona. Maybe Chat Noir acts out because he’s normally reserved, and maybe Ladybug is bold and confident because she’s normally shy and quiet,” She rationalized. Adrien leaned back, tapping his chin in thought. “What would you become if you had the chance to start fresh like that?” She asked rhetorically.

“Maybe you’re right…” He muttered after a while. He glanced at the time and stood up. “I should get going. My father will be angry if I don’t show my face at home soon.” He sighed then looked up at her with a small smile. “Let’s hang out more this summer. I’ll see how many trips I can get out of, I really want to take your dad up on his offer,” He winked.

“Learning his tricks will only make it hurt more when I beat you,” She teased as they made their way out.

“If only my money could buy me skill,” He gave an exaggerated sigh then cast a mischievous grin her way.

“I’d be in trouble,” She giggled. They were at the front door now. Adrien extended a fist to her.

“See you tomorrow?” He cocked a brow.

“If I wake up on time.” She smiled touching her fist to his. Though she did have Tikki who she could count on to wake her up by any means necessary, she rubbed the small teeth marks on her thumb.

“I’ll buy you an alarm clock if you’re late,” He laughed before pulling the door open and stepping out into the warm summer air. He hesitated a moment then turned to her, a small smile on his lips. “I’m glad we’re friends, Mari.”

“Me too,” She returned the smile and watched as he walked down the sidewalk until he was out of view.

“You did a good job leading him off your trail,” Tikki said softly. Marinette thought about what he’d said about Chat Noir, heart sinking guiltily.

“Yeah…” She said sadly. “Come on, let’s go bake some cookies. I think I have a kitty to apologize to.”

***

Chat was waiting for her in their usual spot when she approached, shoulders slumped as he stared off, lost in thought. At the sound of her approach he turned to her, hands clasped behind his back. He didn’t smile or crack a joke, didn’t call her bugaboo or my lady.

“Hey,” He greeted calmly. Ladybug felt the guilt smack her like a brick. Seeing him this way was wrong. As much as she hated to admit it, she missed goofy Chat.

“Can we talk?” She asked, shifting nervously. He made a similar uncomfortable face.

“We don’t have to,” He said with a grimace.

“You’re upset,” She pointed out.

“No, I’m not.” He insisted. He tensed as she approached him, flinching when she extended a small bag of cookies toward him. He eyed them curiously.

“I wanted to say I’m sorry, okay? I was upset, and I wasn’t very sensitive to your feelings. That wasn’t cool…can you forgive me?” He stared down at the cookies thoughtfully for a moment then pulled her into his arms.

“Of course I forgive you,” He murmured. “I was…jealous, and I didn’t consider your feelings either. I should be the one apologizing.” He pulled back and rubbed the back of his head. Ladybug smiled up at him feeling relieved.

“You’re my partner, Chat. Not only that you’re my friend. I don’t want there to be tension between us. If we were together-”

“It could be distracting. I get it,” He held up defensive hands then smiled that mischievous smile she knew too well. “Am I your best friend?” He waggled his eyebrows. Ladybug rolled her eyes.

“Sure, Chat. You’re my best friend.” She laughed. He seemed pleased at the response, and he grabbed a cookie from the bag in her hands, popping it in his mouth eagerly.

“Did you make these?” He asked with wide eyes.

“Maybe,” She narrowed her eyes smugly.

“They’re really good! I didn’t know you could bake,” He looked her over. “Since we’re best friends, you should tell me more about yourself.”

“What do you want to know?” She cocked a brow. Chat paused to stare at her in disbelief.

“Really?” He gaped.

“Within reason,” She gave him a stern look then shrugged. “You’ve never given me a reason not to trust you, even if you annoy me to pieces. Besides, I think it could be good for us to be better friends.” Chat grinned widely.

“Then I wanna know everything!” Ladybug sat cross legged on the roof and motioned for him to do the same. He plopped down excitedly.

“When’s your birthday?” He started.

“No.” She responded quickly, her tone short.

“Oh c’mon!” He pleaded.

“Fine, it’s sometime between January and December.” She replied sarcastically. Chat chewed a cookie grumpily while he thought of a new question.

“How old are you?” He continued.

“That’s a rude question to ask a woman, you know,” She laughed, tossing a cookie into her own mouth. Chat waited while she chewed. “Thirteen.” She replied finally. Chat’s eyes narrowed smugly.

“I’m older than you,” He beamed.

“Congrats,” She gave him fake applause.

“Don’t you want to know how old I am?” He pouted.

“Fine, how old are you, Chat Noir?” She rolled her eyes.

“Fourteen,” He crossed his arms over his chest triumphantly.

“No wonder I’m faster than you. You’re an old man,” She teased with a giggle.

“Hey! Learn to respect your elders, young lady!” He shot back doing his best elderly impression. They both laughed for a moment before Chat continued with another question. “What do you do for fun?” Ladybug considered it for a while.

“I like drawing,” She said finally. “And video games, but you already knew that. I watch movies and anime with my dad sometimes.”

“Which ones?” He asked eagerly, ears sticking up.

“All kinds,” She shrugged. “We love Studio Ghibli movies especially.”

“My mom and I used to watch Kiki’s Delivery Service all the time! The cat was my favorite character, naturally,” He winked.

“Spirited Away is my favorite!” Ladybug felt herself sharing his excitement. She’d known she and Chat liked similar things, but she had always refused to admit she had things in common with him out of her own stubbornness.

“No way! What others do you like?”

To her surprise, they had more in common than she’d originally thought. They had similar taste in movies, music, and video games. As much as his usual flirting irritated her, she liked Chat Noir well enough. He was an important part of her life, and she did care about him a lot, she realized. Maybe she didn’t love him romantically, but he was someone she could trust to be honest with her and to fight beside her.

The two talked for several hours before they realized how much time had passed, and Ladybug felt surprised by how disappointed she felt when they decided to part ways. All this time she’d been pushing him away because she didn’t want to believe his feelings were sincere, and in doing so she’d been missing out on the opportunity to know him, though, given their line of work, they didn’t often have time to chitchat. Somewhere along the way, she’d grown fond of him without realizing, to the point where the thought of his sadness made her sad too.

Spending time with him that night was nice. He didn’t flirt or call her any ridiculous names, but showed her a calmer, dorkier side of himself. More than anything she was relieved that he wasn’t angry with her for turning away his feelings. She’d never quite realized how important he was to her until she thought she would lose his companionship. Acting like he had, she didn’t mind spending hours with him which is what made their separation that night bittersweet.

“It’s been fun, LB.” He winked. “See you soon?” He extended his fist to her which she immediately met with her own.

“Yeah, see you soon.”

Adrien

The next day passed by in a blur. Adrien was on cloud nine after spending so much time with Ladybug the previous night. Sure, she wasn’t in love with Chat Noir yet, but she had opened up to him more than she ever had before. And she worried that she had hurt his feelings when his confession didn’t quite go as planned. Sometimes she was too amazing for him to comprehend. Not to mention, she did still have a crush on Adrien. The thought still made his heart flutter.

He found himself considering what Marinette had said about Ladybug’s normal self. All this time he’d been searching for an amazing, heroic girl, but what if she wasn’t that bold? He himself toned it down when he wasn’t Chat Noir, so why wouldn’t Ladybug do the same?

After art class, he asked Marinette if she wanted to work on their paintings together, hoping to talk more with her about Ladybug, but she said she was busy, so he sat in his room working on it with only Plagg keeping him company. After an hour or so of diligent work, he decided to take a break.

“You sure are spending a lot of time on that painting,” Plagg noted as he pawed at his favorite red ball on the couch.

“I want to do a good job. Mr. Rosen is a tough critic, and Ladybug posed for it, so, yes, I’m spending a lot of time on it,” He reasoned.

“She hasn’t even been back since she posed for you several days ago. Some girlfriend, she is,” Plagg snorted. Adrien felt his cheeks flush.

“She’s not my girlfriend…at least not yet, okay? Besides, you saw how worried she was about telling me we go to the same school on accident. She’s probably just laying low.” His face burned with embarrassment as Plagg gave him a smug smile.

“I find it kind of ironic that she was clearly upset about you potentially figuring out her identity and yet you’ve still committed whole-heartedly to finding out who she is.” The black cat batted the ball too hard and it rolled off the couch and onto the floor where it bounced away.

“I’ve always been trying to figure out who she is, it’s not like this is new.” Adrien laughed. Plagg shrugged, seeing his point and flitted off to find something else to entertain himself with, which, in Adrien’s room, wasn’t hard.

“I just think that if she wanted you to know, she would have told you. You’ve seen how defensive she gets when you ask her about personal stuff,” He settled on rolling the ball around on the foosball table.

“She opened up quite a bit last night,” Adrien retorted.

“And what did you guys really talk about? Nerd stuff. The only viable piece of information she gave you about herself was her age after she refused to tell you her birthday which means she still doesn’t want you to know too much about her in case you figure out who she is.” Plagg said pointedly.

“She’s not _in love_ with Chat Noir though. I bet if she loved him, she’d want to tell me who she is just as badly as I want to tell her who I am,” Adrien replied, sounding as if he were trying to convince himself as well as Plagg. The black cat simply rolled his eyes.

“You’re in over your head, dude,” He grunted but didn’t say anything further on the matter.

A few days passed, and Adrien finally finished the painting on the night before it was due. His heart pounded in his chest as he examined his work, remembering the way her lips tasted against his. He longed to see her again, but worried that she might not come back because of her slip up. That is, he worried until a visitor knocked on his window.

“You’re back,” He smiled as she hopped down from the window. Relief washed over him that she wasn’t avoiding him. He wanted to pull her into his arms but waited until he assessed her feelings about such things.

“I’ve had a few days to get over being embarrassed,” She rubbed the back of her neck guiltily. “How’s the painting coming?”

“I finished it a little while ago, wanna see it?” He offered, extending his hand to her. Cautiously, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her to his desk where the canvas rested.

“It’s amazing!” She gasped, cupping her cheeks as she admired it. He felt a rush of embarrassment to his cheeks.

“Only because I had a good model,” He flirted, placing his hand on the small of her back. “Even if she left early.” She turned to face him, a defiant look on her face.

“Well, an unexpected kiss from the beautiful boy she has a huge dork crush on made her brain malfunction, and she said something she shouldn’t have,” She placed a hand on her hip, cocking it to the side slightly.

“If I kiss you again will you say something else?” He pulled her closer.

“Nice try, but I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut,” She smiled coyly.

“Can I still kiss you?” He asked, leaning in until his lips brushed hers. He felt her breathing accelerate as the heat of her blush warmed his face.

“If you want to,” She breathed, blue eyes searching his.

“I want to,” He closed his lips around hers, heart racing. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, Adrien felt his mind go numb. Her lips were as warm and soft as he remembered. He could get used to this, being with her. If only he knew who she really was, they could be together all the time, and he wouldn’t have to wait around for her to pop in through his window.

“Won’t you tell me who you are?” He sighed against her lips when the kiss ended. His eyes bore into hers, conveying all of his love and admiration for her, and he saw her hesitance as she processed her response. Unfortunately, she had gained better control of herself since last time.

“I wish I could,” She said sadly after a while, her gaze shifting to her hands on his chest. He tightened his hold around her waist, pulling her closer.

“I want to be with you, Ladybug. Not just like this, I want to know and love the girl under the mask too,” He pleaded, but it backfired as she pulled away from his embrace, head lowering slightly.

“The girl under this mask isn’t as amazing as everyone thinks,” She said softly. “She’s awkward and shy and afraid of getting it all wrong.”

“And I’m not the perfect guy people seem to think I am either, ya know. All of these stupid magazines make me out to be some hotshot bachelor, when, in reality, I’m kind of a huge dork who watches anime and falls in love with superheroes.” He smiled warmly. “It doesn’t matter to me who’s under that mask, but if you don’t want me to know then I’ll take this,” He pulled her back into his arms, pressing his lips to her temple softly. “I just want you, and I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give me, even if it drives me crazy not knowing who you are.”

“Believe me, I want to be with you too, more than anything, but if I tell you who I am, it could put you in danger. There are people out there that would do anything to you if they thought you could tell them who I am, so please trust me. I promise I’ll tell you as soon as it’s safe.” Her eyes bore into his pleadingly. She was worried about him getting hurt by Hawkmoth, he realized. How easy it would have been to just tell her, but her concern was too adorable to ruin.

“I won’t keep trying to figure you out if you come see me more often. I need my superhero girlfriend time,” He winked. The worry faded from her eyes, a gleam he’d become familiar with taking its place, that same taunting gleam she had when she teased him as Chat Noir.

“Am I your girlfriend now?” She giggled, eyes narrowed tauntingly.

“I-are you-do you want to be?” He fumbled, face burning red. She placed a finger on his lips.

“If this is going to work, we need a few ground rules,” She said rather seriously. “You can’t tell anyone about us.” When his eyes widened in protest she continued, “Every single superhero movie ever, who does the bad guy strap bombs to or dangle off of tall buildings? The hero’s lover. Tell. No one.” She poked his chest for emphasis. He rolled his eyes, seeing her point, his lips curling into a smile. Her concern for his well-being was almost too adorable to handle.

“Okay, I won’t tell anyone about my super amazing, beautiful, smart, classy, adorable, though intimidatingly muscular, superhero girlfriend,” He cocked a sarcastic brow and grinned down at her.

“Good,” She tapped his nose with her index finger. “Secondly, you can ask me about whatever you want, but I won’t answer questions I think could reveal my identity.” That seemed fair enough. “And lastly, we’re gonna go play Mecha Strike III right now, and I’m gonna kick your butt.” She patted his cheek and moved to sit on the couch. Never before had she been so beautiful to him. His grin widened as he moved to join her.

“In your dreams,” He snorted falling down next to her, his leg brushing hers purposefully. To his delight she pressed her side into his eagerly, smiling up at him contently.

Surprisingly, she was actually pretty good at Mecha Strike and managed to beat him several times. Her playing style reminded him vaguely of Marinette, though she wasn’t nearly as good as he still won a majority of the time.

“You’re not half bad,” He complimented, slipping his arm around her and leaning his face close to hers.

“I play in my spare time,” She admitted with a shrug. He planted a kiss on her cheek then sat up slightly.

“You should have entered the tournament a few months ago, although I doubt you could beat Max or Marinette. I haven’t beaten her once,” He sighed.

“I really don’t like the attention.” She fidgeted uncomfortably at the thought. “Besides, they won in the end anyways.” True, Ladybug never seemed to like being fawned over by fans, especially Chloe, which, Adrien realized, made sense now that he knew she went to their school. Being in the spotlight all the time must drive her crazy.

“I guess you’re right. They made an awesome team.”

“Didn’t you give up your spot in the tournament for her?” She tilted her head to the side.

“Yeah, she’s way better than I am, and I wanted her to like me…” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Oh?” She grinned, cocking a brow under her mask. “Should I be jealous?”

“No, not like that,” He laughed. “Marinette and I…kind of had a rough start, and she swears she doesn’t hold it against me, but, I dunno, she seemed unsettled by me for the longest time, and I just wanted her to know that I’m a nice guy. Maybe be her friend like everyone else,” He shrugged. She seemed so content snuggled beside him, so relaxed. “But enough about her, I wanna know about you.” He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, letting his hand linger on her face. She leaned into it, her bluebell eyes gazing warmly into his.

“What do you wanna know?” She laughed.

“When is your birthday?” He asked. She gave him a look.

“Seriously?” She groaned, leaning back away from his touch. It was worth a shot.

“Okay, okay, off limits. Got it,” He held up defensive hands then reached for her again. After an eye roll, she scooted back toward him, snuggling into his embrace once again. He could really get used to that, having her body curled around his, her head leaning on his chest.

“Hmmm, no birthday present then,” He commented.

“I wouldn’t have asked for one anyways,” She pinched his stomach.

“Favorite color?” He tried.

“Pink,” She responded almost immediately.

“Really?” His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He would have bet on red, but she didn’t choose the color of her suit, he supposed.

“You sound surprised?” She gave him a perplexed look.

“No, no, pink is fine.” He clicked his tongue as he thought of a question Chat Noir hadn’t asked previously.

“Do you live nearby?” He asked finally. She gave him the ‘absolutely not’ look she often gave Chat Noir. “No? Okay then.”

“You’re really breaking rule number two here,” She teased, brushing his nose with her finger.

“I’m shamelessly curious,” He admitted. “Favorite dessert?”

“Pie,” She responded.

“Any particular kind of pie?” He poked her side with a laugh.

“Blueberry,” She said then bit her lip worriedly. “But I’ll eat just about any kind. I’m not picky!” She added quickly. He looked her over curiously. “Anyways, it’s getting late, I should go.” She stood up abruptly and without much thought, Adrien reached out and took her hand as if by reflex. He wasn’t ready for her to leave, so he pulled her into his arms and held her there for a little while longer.

“Stay as late as you want, I don’t mind.” He murmured against her hair. She lingered there for a few minutes before pulling away.

“I’ll come see you again tomorrow. I promise,” She smiled warmly. He frowned, but supposed he had that promise to look forward to. He leaned down to plant one last goodbye kiss on her lips, memorizing the taste of her breath before she pulled away and disappeared out his window, leaving him alone in his room, lips still burning from the electricity of her kiss.

“Isn’t this kind of cheating?” Plagg asked once she was gone.

“She hasn’t revealed her identity to me, so I have every right not to tell her who I am. If she wants Adrien instead of Chat Noir, that’s what I’ll give her,” Adrien countered.

“Whatever,” Plagg sighed. “Got any cheese?”

Adrien rolled his eyes and picked up the tablet to order Plagg’s favorite cheese from the kitchen. Part of him worried Plagg was right. Ladybug had proven on multiple occasions that she hated liars, but what choice did he have otherwise? She wanted to be with Adrien, and he wanted to be with her more than anything. He’d tell her who he really was eventually, and then they’d be together forever. He collapsed onto his bed, a smile playing on his lips as he daydreamed of the next day’s promised visit.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Plagg does have some wisdom under all that snark.

Marinette's parents are such shipping trash, also I love how Ladybug had to tone down her Mecha Strike skills so Adrien wouldn't be suspicious.

For those of you who are probably right concerned about how Ladrien heavy this is getting, don't you worry your little butts ;) And if you like the Ladrien, well, I'm sorry... You'll see why next week! :D

I have to give credit where credit is due. My roommate came up with the baker's dozen joke and she's very proud of it. Also, Mr. Rosen's character was made up by tumblr user xenethis-chimera in a private RP we did together. 

Next chapter will be kind of heavy, so get your bodies ready for that.

Follow me on Tumblr (MightyMunchlax) and post comments! Let me know what you think! I really love reading them and hearing your feedback :) 

See you guys next week! 

 


	5. Sinking Ships

Chapter Five: Sinking Ships

Marinette stared at her ceiling, dazed, face flushed. She didn’t know what time it was…late. She could just make out the silhouettes of her furniture in the darkness. Inside her heart pounded wildly, and she felt like she was floating.

Adrien loved her, well, Ladybug. He wanted to be with her- Ladybug- and wanted her-Ladybug- to be his girlfriend. She _was_ his girlfriend. Her mind spun with thoughts as she processed everything that had happened.

Of course she’d expected a little flirting on that visit, but even expecting it, she could hardly believe it was real when he kissed her. When he pulled her into his arms and held her. It all felt like a dream, and despite the exhaustion weighing on her body, she didn’t dare close her eyes, didn’t dare sleep. If she slept, she would have to wake up, and she didn’t want to wake up from this dream.

Sleep finally won her over and before she knew it, Tikki was lifting her eyelids to wake her up. She became faintly aware of her alarm going off, muffled by her body as she seemed to have rolled on top of it.

“Get up, it’s the last day of school,” Tikki instructed. Marinette moaned, pawing for her phone to shut off the beeping. Groggily, she sat up, rubbing her eyes with a yawn.

“I don’t understand how you can sleep in even though it’s been eerily quiet lately,” Tikki sighed as Marinette slowly crawled out of bed. It had been quiet since Volpina, she realized. Maybe no one’s been upset lately. She thought to herself, though in a city as big as Paris that seemed highly unlikely.

“It’s been almost too quiet, don’t you think?” She said turning to her kwami. The sobering realization pushed away any remaining drowsiness, replacing it with acute alertness.

“He must be planning something. We better stay on guard,” Tikki said contemplatively as Marinette nodded dutifully.

When she arrived to class, Adrien had a dreamy look in his eyes. She felt her face flush, knowing what he probably had on his mind. She herself had spent the whole night adorned with a similar expression. The challenge would be acting naturally around him from that point on.

“Morning,” She waved as she passed him.

“Morning.” He murmured without looking up at her, too far lost in his own daydream. She took her seat stiffly, feeling embarrassed. She knew there was no reason for it, but she still hadn’t quite come to terms with Ladybug being his secret girlfriend. Thinking about it now made her heart beat just a little bit faster.

“Any luck on our Ladybug mission?” Alya asked during free period. “Today’s our last chance to figure her out. What if she changes schools next year?” Marinette eyed Adrien who bit back a smile then shrugged.

“She still could be anyone really. We don’t know for sure that any of the people we suspect are her,” He said leaning his head on his fist. Marinette felt relieved that he seemed to be keeping his promise.

“Who are our most likely suspects?” Alya pinched the bridge of her nose. Marinette scrolled through the list on her phone.

“Lisa from the 9th grade class, Elina from our class, and…Mireille.” She read off.

“Okay, so none of them have been akumatized before, have we ever seen them during an akuma attack when Ladybug is around?” Alya rationalized aloud. Marinette and Adrien both shrugged. “Ya know, you two seem to disappear a lot when akumas show up.”

“Uh…” They both stammered.

“I’ve been captured several times, you know that,” Marinette chided. “I’m also not interested in throwing myself in the middle of things. It’s dangerous.”

“Y-Yeah, same here,” Adrien smiled sheepishly. Alya narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“If only an akuma would attack! We could divide and conquer our three suspects. Has no one in Paris been angry lately?” Alya groaned, slamming her fist on the table.

“I think you’re probably the only person who’s upset by that fact,” Marinette’s eyebrows knitted together in concern.

“I’m not _upset_ , it’s just highly inconvenient,” Her friend countered grumpily. Adrien sighed beside her, looking slightly defeated. She hated it.

“Who knows, maybe we’ll get lucky,” She offered hopefully, a familiar tone to her voice. “Ow!” She yipped as a sharp pain struck her finger. She glared down at her bag where Tikki shook her head tersely.

“You okay?” Adrien eyed her worriedly.

“Paper cut,” She explained nervously. The bell sounded overhead and Adrien and Alya both slumped.

“We better start wishing for a miracle,” Alya groaned as she stood up. “See you guys after school.” They waved as they parted ways.

“So, how did your painting turn out?” Marinette asked conversationally as they headed for the art classroom. He blushed.

“Uh, fine, I think? What about yours?” He responded.

“I think it’s good, but that probably means Mr. Rosen will hate it.” She laughed.

“Either way, we’re home free for the summer after this. Good or bad, I say we celebrate,” He said.

“You want more of my dad’s ice cream, don’t you?” She cocked a brow. Adrien smiled guiltily.

“It’s so good!” He chuckled as they entered the classroom. Everyone’s canvases lined the front of the room, and Marinette felt her cheeks flush. Most of them were very well done and even the less-than-perfect ones were still half-way decent. And to her relief, no one painted a close up of her “tight ass.”

“Please gather around, students. I must say I am…impressed with your efforts,” Mr. Rosen paced along the row of paintings. “I decided to join you all as well, so here is my contribution,” He gestured to a large painting of a triumphant Ladybug. It was impressive, she had to admit, even if the manner in which it was presented was a bit distasteful.

“Her eyes are wrong,” Adrien commented. Mr. Rosen froze, head snapping in Adrien’s direction.

“My painting is flawless,” Mr. Rosen said matter-of-factly.

“It’s impressive, but you made her eyes too slanted, too warrior-like. Her eyes are more round,” He explained. Mr. Rosen loomed over him, eyes set into a glare. Marinette’s heart pounded in her chest. This was going downhill fast.

“And what would you know about her, hmm? She is a hero. I don’t know what fantasy you live in where she’s so soft and fragile,” He gestured to Adrien’s painting. Marinette stepped backward slowly, burying herself in the crowd as she made her way for the door.

“I’d know a lot actually,” Adrien retorted. _Uh-oh_. “Considering she posed for my painting.” _Not good!_ At that, the class erupted, everyone crowding Adrien with questions. Mr. Rosen’s lip twitched, his smug grin turning to a scowl.

“Well, it must be nice having such social influence that allows you to buy our hero’s time, Mr. Agreste,” He sneered. Marinette saw Adrien’s fists clench before she quietly slipped out the door. She dashed to the bathroom.

“Sounds like Ladybug needs to diffuse the situation up there,” Tikki said once they were safely in the empty bathroom.

“Transform me!” Marinette called.

In a flash, Ladybug zipped out the window and swung around to the art room. Slowly, the students inside noticed her presence and turned to gaze at her in awe. Noticing the movement, Adrien and Mr. Rosen’s argument trailed off as they caught sight of their lady. Adrien’s face immediately brightened when he saw her, and she returned the expression warmly.  
            “Hi there,” She waved to the class with a kind smile. “I heard through the grapevine that your class was presenting their paintings of me today. I’d love to take a look, if you all don’t mind.” She clasped her hands behind her back, glancing around the room. When her eyes rested on Adrien, he met her gaze offering a small smile that made her heart skip a couple beats as his eyes softened affectionately. Blushing, she turned her attention to the paintings displayed at the front of the room. Mr. Rosen immediately glued himself to her side.

“These are all really amazing!” She complimented. “I’m extremely flattered you picked me as the muse, sir.”

“Oh, ho ho, you are more than welcome, Ladybug. Your radiance inspires even the smallest of minds,” He purred. “One of my students was so inspired that he actually believes you posed for him,” He gestured mockingly to Adrien whose eyes narrowed smugly. “Won’t you put the poor lad in his place?”

“Oh, well, I did pose for him,” She admitted, blushing slightly. Mr. Rosen’s face fell back into a scowl.

“I’m sure he compensated you greatly,” He growled.

“No, I just…I ran into him, and he told me about the project, and I was extremely flattered, so I offered my help,” She explained. “I wish I could have helped more people, but a hero’s work is never done,” She shrugged.

“Ladybug, will you autograph my painting?” It was the tight ass kid. Several more students crowded around her.

“Sure,” She smiled.

“Now, now, students. Let us not get carried away. Back to your seats,” Mr. Rosen ordered, snaking an arm around her shoulders. “Ladybug, in your opinion, out of all of these paintings, which would you say is the best?”  His gesture included his own painting, and she had to suppress an eye roll.

“They’re all incredible. You’ve got some real talent here,” She dodged smoothly. Mr. Rosen’s lip twitched.

“Well, certainly some works are better than others, don’t you think? One student had the audacity to claim that you get frightened.” He pointed to her painting. She noticed Adrien glance back at her seat curiously. Panic surged through her.

“I-I get scared all the time. My job is to protect Paris and her citizens, so naturally I fear for everyone’s safety,” She explained. Everyone exploded into a frenzy of questions again, and she noticed Adrien slip into the hall. “Speaking of, I really should be going. Keep up the good work, everyone!” She waved, making her way out the door. “Bug out!” As she closed the door behind her she found herself face to face with Adrien who pulled her into a passionate kiss that made her dizzy.

“Excellent timing, my lady,” He pressed his forehead to hers. She soaked it in for a moment, before realization hit her.

“I slipped out of class for this, I should get back before someone notices I left,” She said nervously. Adrien squeezed her shoulders tightly.

“See you tonight?” He cocked a brow.

“Leave the window open,” She smiled. The response seemed to please him.

“I love you,” He breathed, and she was sure her heart actually exploded.

“I-I love you too,” She felt her face turn red which made Adrien chuckle as he leaned down to peck her cheek once more before slipping unnoticed back into the uproar going on inside the classroom.

She glanced around to make sure the coast was clear before releasing her transformation. She ducked behind a pillar and counted to fifty before she slipped back into the classroom. Fortunately, everyone had their backs to the door when she reentered, allowing her to slip quietly back into the mix without being noticed.

“Well, you all seem to have impressed Ladybug, congratulations.” Mr. Rosen grumbled. She dared to peak at Adrien, face flushing when her eyes met his. Did he know? He cocked a brow and moved beside her.

“What happened?” She asked quietly glancing around doing her best to look appropriately puzzled.  
            “I could ask you the same thing. Where did you go?” He hissed.

“Tell you later,” She said as Mr. Rosen started making arounds passing back his feedback. He was quiet, brooding, as he passed them their sheets.

“B,” Adrien sighed.

“Lucky,” Marinette groaned. “C minus. At least I passed, I guess.” She folded the slip not bothering to read his commentary. Adrien placed a hand on her shoulder.

“I really like your painting,” He assured her as the bell rang. He took her hand, and pulled her to the library. She really hoped he couldn’t tell how sweaty her palms were.

“So where were you?” He demanded folding his arms over his chest.  
            “I-I went to, uh, bathroom,” She explained lamely, gesturing with her thumb. When his eyes narrowed, she continued, “Uh, it’s, uh, girl stuff, had to change…things.” He held up a hand to silence her.

“Got it,” His nose wrinkled in disgust.  Great. She’d just talked about her period around Adrien. Smooth. She guessed it was better than him figuring out her secret. He’d probably hate her if he found out it was her.

“So? What happened?” She did her best to sound inquisitive and unaware.

“Well, Ladybug kind of showed up and shot Mr. Rosen down. Well, unintentionally. He tried to pull his usual antics and talk himself up, but she made sure to compliment everyone. I thought Rosen was going to explode,” He chuckled. She hadn’t meant to make him angry, but she guessed it was unavoidable with how deep his pride ran.

“Seriously? That’s crazy! I can’t believe I missed that!” She exaggerated her disappointment. “Stupid mother nature, I guess.” She sighed. That’s when Alya hit them like a brick wall.

“Ladybug came to your class? Details!” Her eyes were wide with excitement.

Across town a familiar ominous presence stirred, butterflies fluttering away as he paced forward. Electronic shutters parted allowing light to pour into the dark room. It had been a while.

“Jealousy brews the hottest anger. An adoring artist shunned by his muse, how horrible it must feel.” A small white butterfly came to rest in his hand, blackening with dark power at his touch. “Fly away my little akuma and blacken his heart.”

The small bug fluttered across town, sensing the emotions of its target. The man was painting furiously, rage burning inside him. Shown up by a child! How dare Ladybug pose for an amateur! So lost in his own hatred, he didn’t notice the black insect landing on his brush, darkening it as it absorbed the evil power.

“Disartist, I am Hawkmoth. I will help you turn Ladybug into your eternal muse. In return I need you to capture her Miraculous, her earrings.”

“You can count on me,” The man grinned darkly as black clouds washed over him.

In the library, Alya bombarded Adrien and Marinette with questions. Adrien relayed every detail of her visit perfectly, minus their rendezvous in the hall. Marinette eyed him dreamily. He really did pay attention when Ladybug’s around. She was so lucky!

“Mr. Rosen is such an arrogant creep. Ladybug was too nice if you ask me, but I guess that’s why she’s Ladybug,” Alya sighed. “Was anyone else missing from your class when she showed up?”

“Just Marinette,” Adrien pointed with his thumb.

“Girl, you always miss everything!” Alya shoved her shoulder.

“Sorry. I would have gone to the bathroom during free period but someone had to drag me here right after class,” Marinette retorted pointedly. Alya chuckled guiltily.

“You know how tunnel-visioned I get,” Her best friend rubbed the back of her head. After a moment she slumped. “We’re so close to finding her,” She moaned.

“Maybe she still has one more year left like us,” Adrien offered.

“Yeah, but how will we ever know for sure?” Alya whined. Adrien bit back a smile which made Marinette’s cheeks flush. He would be seeing Ladybug regularly, but thankfully he didn’t say as much in honor of their agreement. Such a gentleman as usual. Chat Noir could learn a thing or two from Adrien. Maybe she would introduce them. Well, maybe not right away…

The buzz of Adrien’s phone broke her train of thought. He glanced at it with a sigh. It was time for his Chinese lesson.

“Gotta go,” He groaned standing up. “Let me know if you find anything out this summer.” He said to Alya then turned to Marinette with a smile. “Ice cream later, right?” He winked.

“Y-Yeah,” She nodded.

“Cool, see you then,” He waved as he made his way out.

Seconds after the door closed behind him, the sound of screaming echoed from the courtyard. Alya shot up, grabbing her phone and running toward the door.

“Alya! Wait! It might be dangerous!” Marinette called after her.

“I hope so! Ladybug’s gonna come out for sure, and I need to be there for it!” Before Marinette could protest further, her best friend slipped out the door. Tikki flew up to join Marinette.

“We’ve got to go after her!” Marinette said worriedly.

“Say the words,” Tikki winked.

“Transform me!”

Ladybug assessed the situation from the roof. In the courtyard below, what remained of students and staff scattered away from the akumatized victim, a man with wild dark hair and ghost white skin. He wore a black suit, covered by a white smock with white gloves covering his hands and wrists. He held a wooden paint palette in one hand and a paint brush in the other which he wielded to create copies of… _her_?

 _Time to step in._ She thought swooping down.

“I see you like making cheap copies, too bad they’re nothing compared to the real deal,” She grunted.

Above her Adrien touched his ring, ready to activate it, but before he could speak four Ladybug’s surrounded him. In his civilian form, he was quickly overpowered and thrust into a cage that materialized in the air above the courtyard.

“Ah, Ladybug, your beauty is as radiant as ever,” The akuma purred bringing more copies to life. She overcame them easily, turning them into piles of gray mush with practiced blows.

“You’re going to have to do better than that,” She beamed triumphantly.

“Oh, those weren’t meant to stop you, simply just distract you,” He laughed, pointing behind her. Floating in the center of the courtyard was a steel cage, Ladybugs hanging on each side guarding the prisoner inside. A golden haired boy- _her_ golden haired boy.

“Adrien!” She shrieked, but before she could react, two more copies slammed into her.

“Ladybug!” He called down, reaching through the bars. Her world froze, horror washing over her. This was all her fault!

“Let him go!” She demanded, tears welling in her eyes.

“He and I have unfinished business. A score to settle, if you will.” Disartist growled.

“Mr. Rosen?” She gasped.

“I am Disartist now! And after I eliminate him, you will be my pet forever!” He snapped back. Ladybug felt her emotions churning in her core.

“Hurt him and you’ll be sorry,” She growled. The threat gave her the push she needed to shake loose of her captors and grab her yoyo.

“Now, now, my sweet, I can’t let you have him so easily,” Disartist tsked. “You’ll have to find him first.” Whipping his paint brush vigorously, the scene sprang to life and soon Ladybug found herself surrounded by dense foliage and towering trees. Dark laughter taunted her from all directions.

“You better hurry. Soon my little pest will be exterminated,” He chuckled darkly.

“Adrien!” She called desperately. The silence she met with set her in motion. She tossed her yoyo onto a high branch and tugged herself up. If she could get a bird’s eye view…

“No cheating, my little bug,” Disartist’s voice echoed around her as the trees stretched upward further and further the higher she climbed. Desperation slammed into her, knocking the wind from her lungs. She needed to find Adrien. If anything happened to him…

Sliding down the trunk of a tree, she hit the ground running, shoving through the underbrush as she ran in the direction she’d last seen him. Or had it been the other way? Panic surged through her as she spun around in confusion. The foliage was too thick, blackening out the sky overhead. Blood pounded in her ears as she scrambled for her bearings, but the forest was too disorienting.

“Ladybug!” Terrified shrieks sounded to her right. Somehow her legs found the strength to move forward, despite the rapids swirling out of control in her mind. Through a large bush Alya and Lisa were tangled in vines. Her friend looked between her and Lisa pursing her lips disappointedly.

“Dang it,” She sighed. Ladybug tore through their bonds robotically.

“Are you okay, Ladybug?” Alya asked worriedly placing a hand on her shoulder. Ladybug flinched at the touch.

“I need to find him. I-I can’t- I…” She shoved her way through more foliage and resumed running.

“Tick tock, Ladybug.”

What was she going to do? No matter how high she climbed, the trees were always taller. No matter how far she ran, the foliage grew thicker, slowing her down. Vines tangled around her legs, and she stumbled forward, hitting the ground hard. Tears began to spill over her eyes in frustration. Where was Chat Noir? He wasn’t usually this late, and she needed him more than ever. She’d never felt so alone, so helpless.

“Giving up so soon? That’s no fun. How about a change of scenery?”

The dense forest melted around her, the lush green hues fading into a deep blue. As the scene changed around her, she caught sight of the cage. Desperately, she tossed her yoyo as water flooded the courtyard, pulling herself up to the metal box only to find it empty.

 _Another distraction!_ A new panic surged through her. Where was he? She glanced down at the water below rising higher and higher.

“Ladybug! Help!” Mireille cried. Hopping onto the second floor ledge, Ladybug tossed her yoyo around the girl’s waist and yanked her up to safety. More cries sounded from below, and Ladybug tossed her yoyo like a lifeline, pulling people up left and right, but none of them were Adrien.

After the last person made it up, the same sinister laughter filled the air. Disartist stood on the roof watching the scene unfold below.

“There it is. A new look on you. Fear! I want to see more! I want to see you…broken,” He laughed and with a snap of his fingers the water began draining below.

“No!” She gasped. On the floor, pale and motionless, laid Adrien. Ladybug hopped over the ledge and rushed to his side. Everything was running in slow motion as she laid her head on his chest, listening for a heartbeat. He was silent, still. Immediately, she laced her hands together over his chest and began pumping as the nurse had demonstrated during their first aid lesson.

Above her, Disartist smiled, drinking in her pain and fear for a moment before disappearing over the building. After several minutes of no response, Ladybug collapsed over his chest once more, muscles burning with exhaustion.

“This is all my fault,” She sobbed, cradling him in her arms. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry,” She repeated, rocking him back and forth.

“Ladybug, help is on the way,” Ms. Bustier said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Go get that akuma. If you use your lucky charm, everything will go back to normal!” Alya encouraged. Could her charm bring Adrien back to life? Broken bones were one thing, but a life…She stood up numbly and reached for her yoyo on her hip.

“This is all my fault,” She said quietly, hand clenching tightly on her yoyo. “I’ll capture his akuma. Don’t worry,” She said coldly. A new emotion stirred within her, burning through her veins like fire.

_Rage._

 Disartist had hurt the boy she loved. Killed him. The thought made her muscles shake in anger as she swung onto the roof. Chat Noir had abandoned her, so in her eyes he was just as guilty, and his extended absence only made her veins burn hotter. Each breath brought pain, but it pushed her forward.

She hopped to the ground, releasing her transformation before staggering home. Her parents pulled her into their arms worriedly as she entered.

“Are you alright, sweetie? We heard there was an attack at the school just now!” Her mother stroked her hair.

“I’m fine, but Adrien…” Her voice trailed off as tears slid down her face. She pulled away from her parents embrace and raced up the stairs to her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Once inside she sat in her desk chair, wiping tears on her sleeve. Tikki flew up to her face.

“I’ve got a plan,” She said. The kwami eyed her worriedly as she explained. She didn’t have time to mourn. She had a job to finish, and Disartist would pay for Adrien’s death.

**Adrien**

Adrien winced in pain as he came to, head throbbing in protest as he stirred. He was met with immediate pressure against his hands when he tried to pull them down, and he blinked his eyes open to find himself restrained against a stair rail. He struggled against his bonds, choking on the gag in his mouth.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Disartist chuckled. Adrien’s reply was a series of muffled profanities. “My, what a temper.”

Adrien’s eyes narrowed into a glare. If only Disartist would leave for a moment, he could transform, but his Ladybug lackeys stood guard over him dutifully. He’d dreamed of being surrounded by Ladybugs before, but this wasn’t exactly what he’d had in mind.

“You’re lucky, boy. My employer insists on your survival, so I can’t eliminate you properly. However, you’ve made the perfect trap for Ladybug.” He paced around the small art studio, the news playing on the TV behind him. “Oh, look, phase one is complete,” He grinned, increasing the volume.

“Teen model Adrien Agreste’s body was recovered from College Francoise Dupont today and he was pronounced dead on arrival…”

 _No!_ Adrien watched with horror. _Ladybug thinks I’m dead._

As if on cue, those familiar black spots made an appearance on camera as she swooped down and approached the camera stiffly. He’d never seen that expression on her face before, and it scared him. She seemed…unstable.

“I have an announcement to make,” She started, her eyes glaring into the camera. “Disartist, if you want my Miraculous, meet me at the school at 9PM. I’ll be waiting.” And in a flash she was gone.

A smile curled around Disartist’s deep purple lips. Panic surged through Adrien. She’d almost given up her Miraculous once over him; he had to escape. He had to get to her and let her know he was okay. He glanced down at his shirt where Plagg hid, and his kwami looked up at him worriedly. At the sound of approaching footsteps the small cat buried himself deeper into his owner’s clothing. Adrien glared up at his captor, but to his surprise the fabric crammed in his mouth disappeared with a snap of the villain’s fingers.

“You won’t get away with this!” He coughed immediately.

“I have no more use for you, boy, but I can’t have you thwarting my plans, so I will leave you here. Once Ladybug becomes my eternal muse, your influence will be obsolete,” Disartist pinched his face as Adrien glared daggers up at him. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a bug to catch.” Disartist stood and stalked from the room. Once the sound of his footsteps disappeared, Adrien struggled against his bonds.

“Plagg, we need to get out of here!” Adrien pleaded as his kwami appeared to offer his assistance, biting through the cords binding Adrien’s hands. Once his hands were free, Adrien quickly unfastened his feet and scrambled to stand up.

“Transform me!”

**Ladybug**

Darkness had fallen over Paris when Ladybug landed in the school courtyard. It was quiet, but she clutched her yoyo as she scanned the area. No sign of Disartist yet. Her body shook with anticipation. She’d never forgive him for hurting Adrien even if he did come back.

“Now there’s a beautiful scene,” His familiar voice purred.

“Disartist,” Ladybug’s eyes narrowed.

“Why don’t you make this easier and give up those earrings and come be my model forever?” He offered extending his hand.

“I don’t think so. You took an innocent life today, and for that I can never forgive you,” Her voice was cold, but Disartist smiled.

“The hard way then,” He determined. With a flick of his wrist, two Ladybugs materialized. The genuine article spun her yoyo, eyes narrowing into a glare. Her movements were precise as she dodged past them, slamming into her target. Her fist connected with his face, knocking him backward a few paces, but she gave him no time to respond before her foot collided with his gut, forcing him to double over and drop his brush which rolled away from him. She swung her knee up to meet his face, knocking him onto his back.

Her blood was boiling, each hit brought satisfaction to the anger burning within her. Her yoyo snaked its way around his neck as her foot rooted his shoulder to the ground. She pulled the cord taut causing Disartist to claw at it desperately as he choked for air.

“Please,” He coughed.

“Did Adrien beg for mercy?” Her eyes burned into his coldly as fear overcame his face. “Now there’s a beautiful scene,” She cooed, tugging the yoyo tighter.

“Ladybug, stop!” A familiar voice shouted and before she could react her partner slammed into her. The two toppled over one another, rolling several feet away from Disartist, who surged forward gasping for air, until Chat landed on top of her and pinned her to the ground.

“Let me go, Chat!” She growled.

“This isn’t you, Ladybug! You need to calm down!” Chat’s grip tightened.

“He’s dead Chat! He’s not coming back! Adrien is-”

“Adrien Agreste is fine!” He cut her off. She stopped struggling, blue eyes trained on him. “I got him out, okay? I followed Disartist from the school and brought Adrien home as soon as Disartist left. He’s safe.”

“I don’t believe you,” Tears pooled in her eyes.

“Have I ever lied to you?” His green eyes met hers seriously. After a few deep breaths, she stopped resisting and Chat let her go.

“Now, let’s capture his akuma the _right_ way and you can go see for yourself that your boyfriend is fine,” He helped her up.

“What makes you think he’s-”

“I can put two and two together,” Chat waved it off. He quickly blocked a blow from a clone with his staff, forcing the two back into the action.

“The akuma’s in his paint brush,” Ladybug said as a swarm of Ladybugs approached.

“I’ll take care of the copies, you get his akuma,” Chat placed his hands together and vaulted his partner over the crowd of fakes. She redirected herself with her yoyo, slamming into Disartist once again, but he was more prepared this time. He swirled his brush in a new color on his palette and summoned a new clone.

_Adrien._

Rage boiled in her core as Disartist summoned more and more Adrien clones until she was surrounded. His evil laughter broke through her patience.

“Lucky charm!” She called, tossing her yoyo into the air. A spotted squirt bottle landed in her hands as an Adrien clone grabbed her from behind.

“Give it up, Ladybug, you’re no match for me.” Down below, Chat Noir flew across the courtyard, several Ladybugs jumping after him. “Once I have you, I can reclaim the boy. I’ll enjoy watching your expressions as I torture him.” An Adrien next to him burst into flames.

Ladybug’s teeth ground together. Stomping on the clone’s foot, she broke free of his hold and as she twirled around, she pressed the nozzle of the spray bottle dousing the clones in water causing them to melt into a mush of gray paint. She turned to Disartist.

“You listen to me,” She growled. “If you think I’m so easily swayed then you know nothing about me. If you think I am incapable of protecting people important to me then you are a fool,” Disartist stumbled backward as she paced toward him. “And you, Hawkmoth, if you think Chat Noir and I are just going to stand by and let you harm the citizens of this city,” She snatched the paint brush from Disartist’s hands and snapped it in half. “Well, you’ve got another thing coming.” The black butterfly flapped out of the brush and fluttered above their heads.

“No more evil-doing for you, little akuma,” She recited, sliding her finger across her yoyo. She captured the insect easily and purified the dark power it contained before releasing it back into the air. “Bye-bye, little butterfly.”

“Miraculous Ladybug!” She called, tossing the bottle into the air. The sparkling bugs worked their magic, reversing the damage around the school as the dark clouds washed away from Mr. Rosen.

“Nice work, my lady,” Chat grinned, landing beside her. “Pound it?” He extended his fist to her, but she pulled him into a tight hug.

“Thank you for stopping me, Chat,” She whispered into his shoulder. Chat returned the embrace, nuzzling into her hair.

“I’ve always got your back,” He replied warmly. At the protesting beeps of her earrings, he pulled away. “Go rest up then go see that boyfriend of yours,” He lifted her chin with a wink. She nodded then stretched up quickly to peck his cheek. Chat touched the spot gently as she tossed her yoyo over the roof and flew off.

Releasing her transformation as she landed on her bed, she fell back against her pillows with a sigh. What had she done? Letting her anger get the better of her like that. And blaming Chat Noir. She should have trusted him more.

“I’ve never felt that way before, Tikki,” She commented. Her kwami offered a sympathetic look. “I wanted to hurt him.”

“You’ve known for a while how unstable you are when it comes to Adrien,” Tikki replied.

“Do you think it’s a good idea for me to be with him like this?” She asked quietly. Tikki frowned, considering it.

“It’s risky,” She said after a while. “Showing him favoritism will put him in danger more often. Do you think you can handle it if that happens?” Marinette thought about it for a long time. She reflected on her emotions throughout the battle. Panic, fear, guilt, rage…such uncontrollable rage. Her face fell into her hands as tears spilled over.

“I don’t want to feel like that ever again, Tikki. I almost…” Her shoulders shook as more tears flowed from her eyes. Tikki pressed herself against her owner’s cheek. “Chat Noir was right, it’s _wrong_. We’re supposed to help people not hurt them even if they are akumatized.”

“You found your composure in the end. Chat Noir is your partner for a reason,” Tikki soothed, but it didn’t help much.

“You must think I’m so selfish,” She laughed.

“No, Marinette. Everyone deserves happiness, but I do think you’ve gone about it in the wrong way. Master Fu told you to protect him, and if Ladybug is his girlfriend, even in secret, it really is risky for both of you,” Tikki explained calmly. As the realization of what she had to do set in, her chest tightened reluctantly.

She crawled from her bed and headed down the stairs to the living room where her parents were watching the news. They stood at her approach taking her into their arms.

“Oh, sweetie, I’m so glad he’s okay, I know you were upset earlier,” Her mother cooed, rubbing her hair.

“The news reporter said that the body at the hospital melted into a puddle of gray paint. It wasn’t even him,” Her father assured her. “Oh! Here he is now,” Tom quickly turned the volume up with the remote.

“Reporting live in front of the Agreste mansion, Adrien, tell us what happened today,” There he was standing next to his father answering questions, not a scratch on him. She said a silent thank you to Chat Noir.

“Then Chat Noir showed up and brought me back here,” Adrien finished.

“I think I’m gonna call it a night. I’ve had enough excitement for one day,” She said, rubbing her eyes.

“Good idea, sweetheart. See you in the morning,” Tom kissed her temple before she headed back upstairs, grabbing a couple cookies from the kitchen on her way. Her mind was heavy as she fell into her chair, extending the cookies to Tikki.

“I don’t know how I’ll be able to face him after this,” She said quietly, staring at her computer monitor. She pulled up her old screen saver full of Adrien pictures covered by hearts. She’d ruined her chances of ever being with him this way. She longed for the times when she crushed on him from a distance, before she knew his true feelings for Ladybug. Before she’d opened her mouth, before he’d kissed her. All of it didn’t matter anymore.

“Let’s go, Tikki,” She said sadly.

Soon she found herself on his roof, hesitating as she gathered her thoughts, her heart pounding nervously in her chest. Out of everything she’d ever faced as Ladybug, this was probably going to be the hardest. Taking a deep breath, she swung down to his open window. He was sitting on the couch, waiting, and as she landed he stood up eagerly.

“I’m so glad to see you!” He smiled, pulling her into his arms. “You must have been so worried, I’m so sorry.” She hugged him tightly, breathing him in one last time before pulling away.

“Adrien we need to talk,” She said softly.

“What is it?” His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he cupped her face in his hands. His gaze was so warm, so loving… It only made her next works harder.

“We can’t be together, Adrien,” She replied solemnly. His face fell and the pain hit her like a freight train.

“W-What? Why?” He gasped, those green eyes widening with horror.

“It’s too dangerous for you. I never even mentioned my feelings for you, and the akuma still attacked you because of me,” She responded.

“I provoked him long before you showed up. That was my fault, not yours,” He reached for her, but she stepped away. If she allowed him to pull her in, she’d never give him up. Her hands balled into fists at her side, nails digging into her palms. The pain kept her focused.

“Adrien, I thought you were dead, and it destroyed me. I almost killed him, and that’s not me! It’s not what I stand for, and I can’t let myself become that ever again,” She could see the hurt in his expression, so she turned away from him.

“But I’m-”

“I’m sorry, Adrien. It’s for the best,” She tossed her yoyo out the window and flew off before the tears spilled over. Her mouth felt like sandpaper as she landed back on her terrace, releasing her transformation as her legs gave out and she crumpled into a sobbing heap. Tikki curled herself into Marinette’s neck.

“You did the right thing,” The kwami murmured.

“I know,” Marinette hiccupped. “But why does it have to hurt so much?”

**Adrien**

Everything felt wrong. Each breath felt like a gunshot in his chest, each step felt like his bones were shattering into a million pieces. He should have told her, should have called out to her, he should have-

His chest felt cold, empty, and the walls of his enormous bedroom had never felt so close. That house had never felt more like a prison than it did as he laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling as the shock of her rejection consumed him. It felt like he was drowning.

When the first rays of morning light crept in through his windows, Adrien sat up, not having slept a wink. Somehow even the sunlight seemed darker as it pierced through his tired eyes. The night she’d let him kiss her for the first time seemed like a faraway dream. Surreal. He wanted to go back more than anything. Why had he opened his mouth? Being her boyfriend gave him so much pride. He’d gotten arrogant in her defense. If he’d kept his mouth shut, they would still be together, but he was well acquainted with the misfortune that always seemed to find him. He wondered what he’d done to become so unlucky.

All of his lessons went terribly that morning. He didn’t score a single basket during basketball practice, he mixed up several phrases during his Chinese lesson, and he couldn’t bring himself to pose and make stupid dreamy faces at his photoshoot.

“No, no!” The photographer groaned, pulling his hair in frustration. “I ask for romance, you give me mopey!”

Gabriel stepped silently into the room observing his son with serious eyes. After a few minutes of even less success he called the photoshoot to a halt to everyone’s surprise. No one had noticed him enter.

“It seems as though you’ve been quite affected by yesterday’s events,” He said pointedly. Adrien looked away, expecting a lecture, but to his surprise his father’s hand came to rest on his shoulder. “You may take the rest of the day off, but I expect better performance tomorrow,” He ordered. Adrien stared at him in disbelief. “Nathalie, make sure he gets some fresh air.”

“Yes, sir,” The dark haired woman nodded curtly, leading Adrien away from the set.

Gorilla drove him to the park across from the school and left him to his own devices, watching from afar. He took refuge on a shaded bench with a sigh. How could he face her now? She’d rejected Chat Noir’s feelings, and now she’d pushed Adrien away too. He had no chance to be with her now.

It sucked. Feeling that way. His first love had crashed and burned, and now he was left suffocating in the smoke. The worst part was that he had no on to talk to other than Plagg who was only capable of being sympathetic until his stomach growled. He was alone.

“Adrien?” A soft voice sounded to his right. He looked up to see Marinette standing timidly at the edge of the bench, a box of macarons in her hands. “Are you okay?”

It was then that he noticed the tears streaming down his face. He rubbed them off onto his shirt quickly, feeling embarrassed, but the concern in her eyes was genuine.

“I’m fine, I…” He started, but he couldn’t bring himself to cover it up. Something deep down urged him to speak up. “I got dumped,” He said after a while. Marinette fell beside him, setting the box down and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“I’m really sorry,” She said.

“It’s not your fault,” He laughed somewhat bitterly. “It just wasn’t meant to be, I guess.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” She offered. Instinctively he tensed, but looking into her kind eyes he found that he did want to talk to her about it. Because she wasn’t forcing him to, instead she gave him the option of confiding in a friend. She was always listening to everyone’s problems and doing her best to cheer them up. Marinette was a true friend.

“She was the most amazing girl I’ve ever met. She was smart and brave, and always so beautiful,” He blushed. “I lived for the moments when I saw her. We got together recently, in secret, and I never thought I could be happier, but then yesterday…it was too much for her, and…she left me,” His head hung low. Marinette wrapped her arm around him, resting her chin on his shoulder.

“Heartbreak really sucks,” She commented sadly. “It feels like you can’t breathe.” She lifted her head to look at him and after a moment, she pulled him into her arms allowing him to lean his head on her shoulder. Her embrace was warm and comforting, filling the emptiness in his chest, and he never wanted to let go. He let his heart bleed, hot tears spilling down his face onto her jacket, but she didn’t pull away. She held him tighter, rubbing his back gently and leaning her head against his. More than anything it was what he needed. To release the feelings he’d bottled up, and Marinette was the perfect person to help him shed that burden. She didn’t question him or press any further than he’d gone. She just held him and allowed all of his negativity to wash away until his heart bled raw, and he finally pulled away.

“Sorry,” He sniffled, running an arm across his face.

“Do you feel better?” She asked gently. He thought about it for a moment. The tightness in his chest had evaporated, making his shoulders feel much lighter, and the numbness of his limbs had faded as well.

“Yeah,” He replied quietly.

“Then I’m always here for you whenever you need it,” She smiled. Sunlight trickled through the trees, softly illuminating her gentle features. Marinette was really pretty when she smiled. He realized. Her eyes were so kind, so gentle and warm. He felt the familiar heat of his blush.

“Thank you, Marinette,” He breathed, seeing her, _really_ seeing her, for the first time. She smiled cheerfully and turned to the box beside her, opening the lid and grabbing a macaron out before offering it to him. He took it timidly and popped it in his mouth.

“Why don’t I give you my number so you can call me when you’re in town this summer,” She suggested. He swallowed the cookie down hard as a lump formed in his throat.

“Uh…y-yeah,” He fumbled to unlock his phone and handed it to her. She punched in her number then passed it back to him, her tiny hand brushing his as he took it from her, sending tiny shocks up his arm.

“You can also call or text me if you ever just want to talk,” She whispered with a warm smile that made his heart beat a little faster. She stood up, retrieving her box of treats and tucking it under one arm. “See you around?” She extended her fist to him.

“Definitely,” He smiled, bumping her fist with his. As she walked away, he felt something stirring in his chest. For so long he’d been too blinded by Ladybug to really see any other girls. Sure, he might have thought Marinette was cute before, but it was always as if she were a kitten or a puppy. But she was so much more than that.

Maybe it was time for him to move on. Time to pursue someone normal, like Mari. He blushed at the thought. Maybe he was just confusing her kindness for affection, but as he glanced at her name in his phone he couldn’t help but smile. Her eyes had given him new life when his world had ended, and now she was the sun at the center of his universe, filling his life with light. He couldn’t wait to see her again.

**Marinette**

Marinette’s shoulders felt a little lighter as she headed for Master Fu’s shop. She’d spent most of the night crying into her pillow while Tikki rubbed her hair. Seeing Adrien crying in the park from her terrace had only made her feel worse, but as the guilt crept in she knew she couldn’t leave him like that. Because she needed the comfort too. She needed to know that he would be okay without Ladybug for her own sake. Cheering him up had put her mind at ease.

She’d spent a better portion of the morning thinking about her feelings for him now. It was abundantly clear that he’d never looked twice at her outside of her costume before. Sure, it stung a little, but maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it was time to move on. She’d had a crush on him all year and never even had the courage to say it to his face. Being in love with him had always made her anxious and as a result, she’d missed out on being his friend for most of the year because she was too afraid to speak to him. It was time to start fresh, to focus on being his friend like Master Fu had said.

When her phone buzzed in her purse, Tikki passed it up to her and she read the message, a smile curling on her lips.

Adrien: Thank you for everything, Mari. I do feel much better.

Marinette: You’re welcome, anytime!

A: Can I make it up to you? Nino and I were going to the amusement park next week before I leave for a while. Wanna come?

M: Sure sounds fun! I’ll bring Alya

A: Great! See you then :)

She smiled as she entered Master Fu’s shop. She knew she wouldn’t be able to let him go all at once, but she’d learned the hard way what putting him in danger felt like. She’d take her time to get over him before the new school year started. After all, he would be gone most of the summer. It would be easy, right?

* * *

 

Author's Notes:

For everyone who hates Ladrien, you're welcome, and if you're upset by it, recognize that the end of their relationship is a stepping stone for much more to come ;)

This chapter is kind of sad and depressing, but the next few chapters will be a lot fluffier I promise! 

Again, Disartist/Mr.Rosen was a character invented by my good buddy on tumblr xenethis-chimera in a private RP we did as well as a good bit of the overarcing plot of this chapter, so show him some love ;) 

See you next week!


	6. Promises

Chapter Six Promises

Master Fu was waiting with tea as she entered the room. He gave her one of those warm smiles as she set the box of macarons on the table and squatted down across from him, folding her legs under her neatly.

            You are feeling lost,” He stated as he poured her a cup of the steaming tea. Marinette winced at how knowing he sounded.

            “I haven’t made the best choices lately,” She admitted. Master Fu set the cup in front of her as she unleashed everything that had happened that week with Adrien, the project, Mr. Rosen. Fu listened intently, occasionally sipping his tea thoughtfully. When she finally finished, she stared at her hands laced together in her lap guiltily, expecting a lecture.

            “Have you learned from your mistakes?” Master Fu asked calmly. Her head snapped up, meeting his gaze. His face was understanding, gentle, and she felt tears pooling in her eyes again.

            “Yeah, I have,” She sniffed. “I was selfish, and I’ve learned several times where that leads me. I know my faults, and I’m learning how to deal with them.”

            “That is all we can do as humans. Learning to turn your weaknesses into strengths takes time, but it is a vital part of our journey,” Master Fu took a macaron from the box. “You will make many mistakes in your life time, it is only natural to do so. Learn from them, and you will be just fine,” He smiled that proud parent smile, putting her mind at ease.

            “Is it okay if I come by more often? I promise to bring sweets,” She inquired shyly.

            “My door is always open for you, Ladybug, whenever you need it.” Marinette let herself relax, sipping her tea gratefully as she and the old man chatted about trivial things. She felt a connection with him, a form of trust between Miraculous users. His presence was calming and erased all doubts from her mind.

            Over the next several days, Marinette carried boxes of sweets to his shop and shared tea with the old guardian while he indulged her with old Chinese folktales. It was nice spending time with him. Having someone who knew her most important secret took a lot of her stress away. It had never dawned on her how desperately she needed someone on the inside who understood everything more than she did.

            On the morning of her amusement park date, she awoke feeling refreshed for the first time since her “breakup” with Adrien. For once she felt calm about seeing him, not plagued by anxious jitters or shaky limbs, just…a relieving amount of calm.

            Alya was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, her long red waves pulled into a ponytail to relieve her neck from the heat. She smiled up at Marinette as she skipped down the stairs cheerfully.

            “Ready to go?” Marinette grinned merrily.

            “Yep.”

            “Have fun, you two!” Tom called from the bakery as they left.

            “You’re in high spirits today, I see,” Her best friend glanced her over with a laugh.

            “I’m in a good mood. It’s summer, we’re going to hang out somewhere fun, I dunno. I’m just…happy,” She shrugged.

            “Does spending the day with Adrien have anything to do with it?” Alya cocked a knowing brow.

            “Actually, I’ve been thinking…” She started. “Do you think it’s time that I, I dunno, maybe move on?” Alya stopped dead in her tracks, staring with her mouth hanging open.

            “Move on?” She blinked slowly. “From the boy you’ve been obsessed with for almost a year?” Marinette shifted uncomfortably.

            “Well, he’s never exactly shown interest in me as more than a friend, and I wasted so much time being anxious around him, which made him think I _didn’t_ like him, and now that we’re becoming better friends, I think it’s time to give up on my silly crush and stop putting him on a pedestal.” She explained. Alya offered a proud smile, wrapping her arm around Marinette’s shoulders.

            “You know I support you no matter what you decide, girl,” She winked. “But I wouldn’t close that door entirely. Who knows? Maybe he’ll fall for you someday.”

            “Thanks, Alya, but I think I’m ready. At least to stop idolizing him so much. I had to take down all of my pictures already, and the more time I spend with him, the more I realize he’s an actual person and not just a one-sided sweet guy with a pretty face.” She stared at her shoes while they waited for the subway.

            “Maybe you can fall in love with him properly this time. Fall for the real Adrien and not the Adrien in magazines. I think he really wants to know you better,” Alya suggested.

 _If only it were that easy._ Marinette thought.

            “So, what’s the story on you and Nino?” She changed the subject as they stepped onto the train car and grabbed hold of the standing poles and the doors slid closed. Alya blushed.

            “We’re _kind of_ in talks with each other. I dunno, I like him, but sometimes we butt heads about silly stuff like TV shows and singers,” She shrugged and bit her lip. “We haven’t put an official label on it yet.”

            “You should. Nino’s a great friend, and you two have so much in common!” Mari prompted. Alya looked away to hide her smile.

            “We’ll see,” She mumbled shyly.

            The ride to the park was short and soon they were climbing up the subway stairs back into the bustle of the city. The amusement park was another block away from the station, and as they approached the scent of popcorn and cotton candy filled the air. Suddenly Marinette felt like a kid again, remembering the last time she had been to a park with her parents. It felt like so long ago. Everything felt off now that she had other responsibilities.

            Nino and Adrien were waiting outside the gate, their conversation trailing off as they caught sight of the girls. Nino waved and shouted an enthusiastic greeting.

            “What’s up, ladies?” He grinned when they finally made it up to them. “Ready to hear Adrien cry like a baby on some roller coasters?”

            “Dude,” Adrien laughed, punching his arm. “Just because I’ve never ridden one before doesn’t mean I’m scared.”

            “Is this your first time at an amusement park?” Alya asked, eyebrows raising in surprise.

            “My parents never really had time or desire to take me when I was a kid,” He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck.

            “Well, have no fear, I’m here to make sure you get the full experience.” Nino wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Better hang onto your lunches, kiddies.”

            “Comforting,” Adrien rolled his eyes. He _seemed_ okay, but she was learning that he liked to cover up his true feelings. Part of her knew he was probably still hurting, but she wanted to believe that he was fine because seeing him made her heart sink a little despite having accepted her own decision. She needed to be his friend today, to make sure he felt as okay as she did.

            “Well, we’ll go buy our tickets then we can head inside,” She said cheerfully, turning to Alya.

            “No need,” Adrien held out a ticket to her. When she eyed it uncertainly, he added, “My treat today, anything you want,” He winked. She felt the heat of her blush as she accepted it with a timid expression of gratitude. Beside him, Nino extended a ticket to Alya begrudgingly.

            “Mr. Gentleman made me pay for yours as well,” He grunted. Alya cocked a hip.

            “I’m perfectly capable of paying my own way in, you know,” She sassed, snatching the ticket from him.

            “Good, that’s the last thing I’m buying you today,” Nino shot back with a sly grin. Alya returned the expression and fell into place beside him as they headed through the gate, leaving Adrien and Marinette to walk together.

            “Y-You don’t have to pay for me either,” She said quietly, twirling her fingers, but Adrien shook his head decidedly.

            “You listened to me when I needed it, Mari. I owe you way more than a theme park ticket,” He replied sweetly.

            “We’re friends, you don’t owe me anything,” She insisted.

            “I know, but I want to,” His green eyes gazed sincerely into hers, increasing her heart rate drastically. He was making her whole “moving on” plan extremely difficult. Those eyes were too easy to get lost in…

            _Focus, Marinette._

            “Alright, first order of business,” Nino stopped abruptly, a mischievous grin stretching across his lips. “You need to dive in head first, so we’re going on that.” He pointed to a large rollercoaster in the distance. Adrien cocked a brow as he studied the metal contraption.

            “It looks like I might die,” He said thoughtfully before his lips curled upward into an excited grin. “Let’s do it.”

            Nino led the way through several “essential” rollercoasters, christening Adrien into the “ultimate amusement park experience” as he called it. Marinette and Alya usually got seated in front of them, so Marinette never got to see Adrien’s expressions, but after each ride he was smiling widely, so she supposed he was enjoying himself.

            After several rides, Nino led them to the largest rollercoaster in the park, fists planted on his hips as he stared up at it challengingly.

            “Now that we’re all warmed up, it’s time for the mother of all rollercoasters,” He said dramatically. “Hold on to your lunches,” He winked as they approached the line. Alya rolled her eyes.

            “Worry about yourself, lightweight,” She said snidely before leaning down to Marinette and whispering, “I’ll hold your hair if you hold mine.” Marinette nodded in agreement.

            “Nervous?” Adrien asked as they approached the front of the line.

            “Me? No way!” She waved it away. Being Ladybug helped her overcome her fear of a lot of things. Rollercoasters were child’s play compared to some of the things she’d experienced during akuma battles. “What about you?”

            “Not even a little. I’ve never had this much fun before!” He grinned giddily. Marinette couldn’t help but return the smile. Seeing him so enthusiastic made her feel much better about their failed love life. If he could move on then so could she.

            After the chaotic ride, Marinette and Adrien stepped off the ramp, laughing and discussing the experience, and Marinette felt relieved that neither of them seemed affected by the ride. Motion sickness was another thing her super heroism had cured her of, but Nino, on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky.

            “I swear if you barf on me, I’m going to kill you,” Alya growled, Nino’s arm slung over her shoulder as she half-dragged him away from the ride toward a shaded bench. Nino’s response was a weak groan as he clutched his stomach.

            “How are you guys still fine?” He whined.

            “We don’t have weak stomachs like you do,” Alya rolled her eyes as she hoisted him over a trashcan just in time.

            “I’ll go buy some water,” Mari offered pointing to the vending machines across the sidewalk. Alya nodded, patting Nino’s back in mock sympathy while Adrien followed after Marinette.

            “Poor Nino,” He chuckled, shoving coins into the machine, determined not to let her spend money. Marinette bit back a smile at the gesture.

            “I’m surprised he made it this far, he gets motion sick pretty easily sometimes.” She laughed, retrieving the water from the flap.

            “He mentioned it a couple times before, but I’ve never seen it this bad.” Adrien admitted.

            When they returned, Nino was sprawled across Alya’s lap with his arm draped dramatically over his face. Marinette pressed the cold bottle against his cheek, prompting a shiver.

            “Thanks,” He groaned, accepting it gratefully and taking a swig. He swished it around for a moment before swallowing.

            “I told you to worry about yourself,” Alya teased. Nino offered up a smug grin.

            “I didn’t expect to be the only one after that one,” He admitted with a wink. Alya shook her head at him.

            “You two can go do some other stuff if you want. I’ll stay here with light stomach,” Alya offered, looking up at Adrien and Marinette, who opened her mouth to refuse, but Adrien grabbed her wrist and tugged her away.

            “Catch up with you later!” He called. Marinette felt her face flush as he smiled down at her cheerfully.

            “S-So, how are you liking all of this?” She gestured around the park, but Adrien’s eyes never left her as they walked.

            “It’s a lot of fun, but I’m just happy to hang out for once,” He replied. “I don’t get days like this often, so…it’s nice.”

            “You’re leaving soon, right?” She asked conversationally. His face fell slightly at the reminder.

            “Tomorrow,” He sighed.

            “Oh, where are you going?” She inquired.

            “This weekend is Milan, next week New York, then to London and Berlin after that.” He recited.

            “I’d kill to travel that much,” She stared at him in disbelief.

            “It’s not as exciting as it sounds,” He shrugged. “Well, maybe to you it might be, but I just get tired of being on someone else’s agenda all the time. I want days like this where I can do what I want for once.”

            “Well, what do you want to do?” She glanced around.

            “I’ve never eaten cotton candy before,” He admitted, pointing to a stand selling the sugary treat.

            “My, that’s quite the sweet tooth you have,” She teased as they approached.

            “My father doesn’t let me eat a lot of sugar, says it’s bad for me,” He rolled his eyes. “Which only makes me want it more.”

            “You’re quite the rebel, I see,” She giggled as he purchased two sticks and offered one to her.

            “When I can get away with it,” He winked proudly before taking a bite of the fluffy pink sugar. “Wow, this is sweeter than I thought.”

            “It’s pure sugar, what were you expecting?” She laughed, elbowing him in the side. He retaliated by bumping his shoulder against her playfully.

            “I never said it was a bad thing,” He added matter-of-factly.

            Something caught his eye over her shoulder because he suddenly grabbed her wrist and tugged her away hurriedly.

            “What’s wrong?” She asked as he dodged around people in the crowd.

            “Uhh, nothing, don’t worry about it,” He said, pulling her along.

            “Adrien, what is it?” Her eyes narrowed worriedly.

            “Nothing,” He insisted. Marinette ripped her hand free and turned around to face whatever horror he was trying to shield her from. “Mari!” He growled, covering her eyes with his free hand, but she already saw what he was pulling her away from. A clown. Off in the distance handing out balloons to passing children.

            “All of this over a stupid clown?” She pulled his hand off.

            “You hate clowns,” His voice rose defensively.

            “Yeah, they give me the creeps, but I can handle it. I’m a big girl,” She punched his arm playfully. He was quiet as they walked on, finishing their cotton candy. The silence ate at her because she knew he was just trying to be nice, so she added, “Thanks. It was sweet of you to remember.”

            “Just make sure you return the favor next time Chloe sees me,” He joked with a sly grin.

            “And make her hate me even more? No thanks,” Marinette sighed.

            “You two really don’t get along,” He pointed out, eyebrows creasing.

            “She’s been a pain in my neck since kindergarten,” She groaned, slumping slightly. “She’s always terrorized everyone, but I’m her favorite.” Adrien eyed her sadly.

            “I never realized how poorly she treated people until I came to school. Sure, I knew she was spoiled, but so am I,” He stared down at his shoes with a shrug. “She kind of always clung to me ever since we were little, so I guess I’m used to it, but now I can tell she does it for attention more than anything else. It’s a status game to her,” He sighed.

            “You’ve known her a long time then?” She asked.

            “Since we were kids, yeah. Our moms were close, and we used to have play dates, but after Chloe’s mom died, I didn’t see her for a long time, only a couple of times before I started school, really, cause after my mom disappeared, my dad shut me in even more.” His gaze was distant, lonely almost as he recalled the days he spent alone in his room with only fancy toys to keep him occupied.

            Marinette vaguely remembered the news story on Mrs. Agreste’s disappearance. The police had no leads, she’d simply vanished one night and hadn’t been seen since. It had been three years since then. Three years Adrien had been without his mother, locked away in a huge house with no contact with the outside world. Unconsciously, her hand found his and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

            “Sorry, I feel like all I do is talk about my problems,” He laughed with a grimace.

            “I don’t mind, really. I think it’s good to talk about it,” His eyes bore into hers and for a moment he exposed all of his pain, the darkness that he hid from everyone else.

            “I still miss her,” He muttered quietly after a while before slowly wrapping his arms around her and lying his head on her shoulder. She hugged him tightly, heart swollen with sympathy until he pulled back after a minute, smiling gratefully.

            “Let’s go do something fun,” She offered. He glanced around then pulled her over to a photo booth. Pulling back the curtain, he motioned her in with a gentlemanly bow. “Don’t you have enough pictures of yourself?” She teased as the squeezed in together.

            “What can I say? I just can’t stop modeling,” He shot back. “Besides, the camera loves me.” Marinette grinned mischievously and blocked his face as the first picture snapped.

            “Hey!” He laughed, shoving it away. “Alright, two can play this game.” He snaked an arm around her shoulders, covering her eyes for the next shot. Marinette giggled, pushing back against him.

            A month ago, being in such a confined space with Adrien’s arms wrapped around her would have sent her into cardiac arrest, but she managed to keep her cool as he hugged her closer. Their friendship had helped ease her nerves around him, and their secret relationship had allowed her to indulge on his affection, even for a little while. Both relationships also made her realize how little she knew about him. Sure, she had read every magazine interview he’d ever done, but the real Adrien was much different than the one on the cover of her magazines, and Marinette wanted to know the _real_ Adrien.

            Truthfully, he wasn’t the dreamy faced boy in perfume ads at all; he’d shown Ladybug that much. All he wanted was freedom, to make stupid faces in pictures and hang out with his friends. He wanted to be normal, something she’d always taken for granted. As she watched him smiling down at their goofy film strip, she realized she had never loved Adrien for who he truly was, only the image she’d painted of him in her mind. He was sweet and caring, that much she had known, but the ultra-cool rich kid stereotype was lost on him, and she couldn’t help but giggle a little at that realization.

            “What?” He looked up at her curiously.

            “Nothing, you’re just a bigger dork than I imagined.” She laughed. Adrien grinned in amusement.

            “Ya know, I’m surprised by how long it takes people to figure that out,” He chuckled. “You should see my manga collection.”

            “I’m sure it’s massive,” She shook her head. “And here I always thought you were cool,” She sighed in faux disappointment. “But you’re just a weeb like the rest of us.”

            “Oh, sorry, would you prefer stick up his ass rich kid? Or maybe egotistical male model douchebag, perhaps?” He joked.

            “You do have a bit of an ego,” She snickered.

            “Well, yeah. Have you seen me? If you were this beautiful, wouldn’t you be a little proud?” He batted his eyelashes mockingly.

            “Oh, you’re pretty? Huh, I hadn’t noticed,” She grinned smugly which only riled him more; however, his next reply was cut off as Alya and Nino approached, her friend hugging a stuffed bear to her chest.

            “Hey, look who’s on his feet.” Adrien teased, bumping fists with Nino.

            “Haha, go ahead. Get it out,” Nino rolled his eyes.

            “Do we need to stop by my parents’ bakery on the way home? You can buy more cookies,” Marinette jabbed. Alya elbowed him as he shook his head and sighed.

            “There’s a pond over there if you wanna go feed the fish,” Alya pointed causing Nino to fold his arms over his chest grumpily.

            “Alya, that’s so rude,” Adrien scolded.

            “Thank you!” Nino huffed.

            “He clearly prefers trashcans,” He finished with a grin. Nino sulked away as they all laughed.

            “I hate you guys. Alya, I want that bear back,” He groaned. Alya hugged the stuffed animal tighter.

            “Uh-uh, you gave it to me! No take backs!” She shot back.

            “So, Nino won that for you?” Marinette teased suggestively elbowing Alya as they walked. Her friend looked ahead at Nino, sulking several steps in front of them, and blushed.

            “Shut up,” She bit back a smile. Marinette giggled, locking her arm in Alya’s as they walked. Nino eventually slowed his pace, falling into place beside Adrien.

            “So, how do you win stuff?” Adrien inquired, pointing to the bear in Alya’s arms.

            “You play a game and depending on how well you do, they give you a prize,” Nino explained. Adrien stared at the bear thoughtfully tapping his chin.

            “I wanna play one,” He decided. Nino shrugged and veered the group toward a booth.

            “They’re slightly rigged, fyi,” Alya commented with an eye roll. “Took Nino ten tries to win me this.”

            “I will take it back if you keep sassing me,” He cocked a playful warning brow. Alya stuck her tongue out.

            “So, how does it work?” Adrien eyed the game curiously as the attendee placed three balls in front of him.

            “You get three tries to knock over the bottles, and the number of tries it takes you determines your prize.” Marinette explained as he picked up a ball, tossing it up and catching it a few times.

            “Seems easy enough,” He shrugged.

            “It’s harder than it-” Nino’s voice trailed off as Adrien hurled the ball at the bottles, knocking them over in one try. “Looks…” Marinette and Alya applauded in congratulations.

            “See, Nino? _That’s_ how you play.” Alya snickered.

            “That’s it, bear’s mine,” He tugged lightly on it causing Alya to squeeze it tighter in protest until he wrapped his arms around her as they playfully wrestled over it.

            “Pick anything ya want, kid,” The worker gestured around. Adrien pointed to a prize, a black cat plush, and turned to Marinette with a smile.

            “Here,” He offered it to her shyly.

            “Y-You didn’t have to do that for me,” She stammered, face beet red as he placed the toy in her arms.

            “I wanted to,” He laughed nervously. “My treat today, remember?” Timidly, Marinette accepted the stuffed animal with a small smile and hugged it to her chest.

            “Thanks,” She said softly, tracing circles in the dirt with her foot.

            “You’re welcome,” He replied warmly, green eyes melting into hers as she peaked up at him over the toy. Her heart skipped a beat then accelerated rapidly, warming her face. There it was. The kindness she had fallen for in the beginning when he’d given her his umbrella. She knew it was just her imagination; after all, he and Ladybug had only been broken up for a few days, so there was no way he would be flirting with her, as she still wasn’t quite over it herself, but he _was_ being nicer than usual to her that day. Sure he had mentioned wanting to pay her back for her kindness, but the affection in his eyes was almost unmistakable because he’d looked at Ladybug that way too.

            Consumed by her own thoughts, she barreled clumsily into the person stopped in front of her, falling back against Adrien who caught her shoulders.

            “S-Sorry!” She gasped, face flushing in embarrassment, but as she looked into the face of her victim, she felt her blood run cold. The brightly dressed man grinned down at her, extending an apologetic balloon.

            “That’s okay!” He said cheerfully. As the small hairs on the back of her neck started to prickle, she felt her arms go still, stiffly glued to the cat, fingers twitching hesitantly. Adrien grabbed her arm and tugged her behind him in one swift motion.

            “She’s fine, but thanks anyway,” He smiled politely before tugging her away again, Nino and Alya in tow.

            “I didn’t know you were scared of clowns,” Nino tapped his chin thoughtfully after they had placed a safe distance between them. “Now I totally know what I’m going as for Halloween this year.” Alya punched his arm.

            “And I’ll buy a tarantula and follow you around with it!” She growled.

            “Okay, jeez, I was kidding. Don’t threaten me like that,” He grumbled, shivering at the thought.

            “You okay?” Adrien cupped her face in his hand gently, tilting her chin to meet his gaze while the other two argued.

            “Y-Yeah, I’m such a klutz. I-It’s my fault,” She rubbed the goose bumps away from her arms. “Thanks for saving me again.”

            “Anytime,” He murmured, thumb caressing her cheek gently. His touch sent her brain into overload, her palms beginning to sweat and shake as her heart beat faster and faster.

            “So, who’s up for more rollercoasters?” Nino’s question cut the tension between them like a knife, and Marinette stepped away from Adrien, face burning.

            “You two go ahead. I wanna walk around with Mari for a bit,” Alya insisted, shoving Nino toward Adrien and grabbing her friend’s wrist. Adrien seemed a bit disappointed as Nino dragged him off, but Alya made it clear she wanted girl time. Once they were alone she turned to Marinette and placed a hand on her hip.

            “That was quite the moment you two just had. Such a hero,” She giggled.

            “He’s making it really hard to move on,” Marinette sighed, cheeks burning.

            “Maybe it’s a sign. He’s been _extra_ sweet on you today,” Alya suggested as they entered the mirror maze, but Marinette shook her head.

            “He’s just making up for when I helped him the other day,” She insisted. “I’ve realized lately that there’s a lot I don’t know about him. All this time I’ve worshipped pictures on the covers of magazines, but I don’t actually know much about him other than that he’s nice, ya know?”

            “So get to know him. Make him fall for you. Look, I get what you’re saying and all, but just because the dude’s deeper than you thought doesn’t mean you have to give up on him.” Marinette winced.

 It wasn’t her fault she didn’t know about the Ladybug snafu because Marinette couldn’t tell her about it. Being with Adrien had been a wonderful dream, but all dreams have to come to an end, and this one had ended in heartache. Seeing him so broken had eaten her alive knowing she had done that to him, and she wasn’t keen on repeating the past someday. Her own heart she could handle, but someone else’s heart was too much to bear. Not while she was a superhero. Not while she could put him in danger. Because if she did pursue him again, how long could she keep the charade going? How long would it be before Adrien found out the truth about her, and grew to hate her? Chasing him as Marinette would just be a slap in the face in the end, but their friendship was safe. She could love him as a friend like she did Alya and never have to hurt him again.

Alya observed her conflicted expression and sighed, “Just think about it, okay? I’m here for you no matter what you decide.”

Marinette took a deep breath to clear her head. Getting over him was proving to be harder than she’d anticipated. As that familiar, dull ache set in to her chest, she hugged the cat tighter. Hurting him once had been horrible enough, and she sincerely hoped she wouldn’t have to do it again.

            Within the park, an insecure heart sank as children burst into tears at his approach. His job was to make people smile, but even teenagers were unsettled by him. He thought of the girl who’d bumped into him, the fear in her eyes…All he’d ever wanted was to make people laugh, but all he ever got were the tears of young children.

            That familiar dark figure approaching the window as the intensity of its light grew stronger. Disappointment was so satisfying to him, a twisted smile playing on his lips.

            “Failure entices the most wonderful sadness,” He purred as his petite minion came to rest in his palm, blackening with his dark magic. “Fly away, my little akuma, and blacken his heart.”

            The demonic creature found its victim sitting dejectedly on a bench and came to rest on the flower pinned to his costume. As the man felt a surge of power rush through his veins, a voice filled his ears.

            “Le Pitre, I am Hawkmoth. I will give you the power to make anyone laugh, but in return I need you to bring me Chat Noir and Ladybug’s Miraculous, the ring and earrings.”

            “I will,” He smiled as dark clouds washed over him. He had a girl to find.

Adrien

            As Adrien and Nino headed for another ride Nino could handle, Adrien thought about Mari, face hot. His heart still ached over Ladybug, but somehow it felt better when he was with Marinette. The games and rollercoasters were a nice distraction, but it was like putting a band aid over a gaping wound. Marinette was stitching his broken pieces back together properly; she made his head feel clearer and more jumbled at the same time whenever he was with her.

            He knew he shouldn’t be falling for her, but he couldn’t help it. Ladybug breaking up with him had hurt. A lot. But it gave him clarity for the first time since he had met her. Ladybug was a fairytale, a beautiful red-clad dream. Of course he never stood a chance. They were partners and needed to focus on saving others, and he hadn’t understood that until he looked at Marinette. Ladybug was virtually indestructible, he didn’t need to worry about her, but Mari didn’t have magic to protect her.

            He glanced at his ring, tracing his thumb over it thoughtfully. Chat Noir had already proclaimed himself her knight once before; he’d been hamming it up at the time, but now he really meant it. Maybe he wasn’t certain of his true feelings for her just yet, but he knew he wanted to protect her.

            “Whoa, what the-” Nino gasped, snapping him back to reality. He took in the twisted figure balancing on a giant ball. The akumatized victim let out a maniacal laugh as it shot beams of light from the flower pinned to his chest, encasing people in its rays and sending them into fits of laughter as he performed. Adrien’s eyes narrowed. He needed to get away and transform.

            A small child erupted into frightened shrieks and tears at the sight of him which made the akuma shake with rage. Summoning a series of bowling pins, he juggled them expertly, gaining applause from his followers before hurtling them down into the crowd. Upon contact, the pins exploded into clouds of colorful smoke.

            “Run!” Adrien shouted to Nino before dashing off to a secluded corner, behind a game booth. “Time to transform!”

            Plagg groaned in annoyance as the ring sucked him in, changing Adrien into his alter ego. Once transformed, he set out to find Marinette. He needed to make sure she was safe.

            Nino had regrouped with Alya outside the house of mirrors, but Mari was nowhere in sight. At his approach, Alya pushed away from Nino, eyes staring up at him pleadingly.

            “Chat Noir! My friend Marinette is still inside,” She pointed to the small building.

            “You two find somewhere safe, I’ll take care of your friend.” He ordered. Nino nodded, taking Alya’s wrist and dragging her away despite her protests. Chat Noir wasted no time as he rushed into the mirror maze.

            “Marinette?” He called once inside.

            The girl was wandering through the maze, having gotten separated from Alya, unware of the events outside and also the dark figure looming in the corner. The small hairs on her arms stood on end as she felt the sensation of being watched, and as movement caught her attention in her periphery, she turned around abruptly only to find nothing there. She rolled her eyes at her imagination playing tricks on her eyes, but as she faced forward once more she found herself face to face with the dark clown. A horrified scream erupted from her throat, chilling Chat Noir to the bone.

            “Cataclysm!” He growled, scratching the wall of mirrors. As his magic spread across the glass, the panes shattered around the room until his damsel revealed herself, corner by the akuma.

            “Chat Noir!” She gasped as he rushed to her side, putting himself between her and the villain.

            “Sorry, but this princess is under my watch,” He smirked.

            Le Pitre’s eyes narrowed, small balls materializing around him in a circle. As the assault began, Chat Noir hoisted Marinette over his shoulder and sprinted for the exit, dodging explosions as he went. Once outside, he sprang over attractions and booths until they reached a deserted part of the park, and he finally set her down.

            “Well, well, princess, it’s been sometime since I’ve saved you,” He winked. “Surely, I deserve a kiss from her highness for my heroic deeds?” He leaned in tauntingly, puckering his lips slightly. Marinette suppressed an eye roll and pushed his face away.

            “Thanks, but shouldn’t you be getting back to fight the akuma?” She asked innocently. He smiled sweetly at her.

            “Not to worry, princess, your knight has everything under control.” He bowed theatrically. “I’ll collect my payment later.” He whispered, laying his staff across his shoulders. “You hang tight, okay?”

            “Uh, sure,” She folded her arms over her chest. “Good luck!”

            He smiled to himself as he launched himself back across the park. Even if she wasn’t impressed with him, she was safe, and that was all that mattered. He’d work on their relationship over time, but right now he had a clown to catch.

            Le Pitre rode through the park on a unicycle, converting people into his adoring audience. Chat Noir tossed his staff, knocking pins from his hand, each exploding into puffs of smoke as they hit the ground. The akuma’s eyes narrowed into a glare.

            “Looks like you’re really _bombing_ out here,” He smiled. “Don’t even think about looking for that girl. If you wanna lay a hand on her, you’re gonna have to go through me.”

            “That poor girl is doomed,” His partner’s playful lilt filled the air, sending a chill up his spin. He hadn’t thought about how he would handle being around her. She landed beside him, limbs prepped for action. The beeping of his ring cut through the tension of the fight.

            “You’ve already used your Cataclysm?” She smacked her forehead with her palm.

            “Damsel in distress. It was an emergency,” He said defensively. Ladybug groaned in exasperation.

            “Fine, I’ll handle it, but hurry up!” She ordered. “I hate clowns.” He saluted mockingly before leaping away again. He wanted to keep Adrien as far away from Ladybug as possible. Seeing her brought a stab of pain to his chest, but he had Marinette to protect now. Ladybug was his partner, nothing else, and he needed to swallow down any lingering feelings he had for her.

            Ducking inside the photo booth he and Marinette had used earlier, he released his transformation and pulled out the phot strip he’d taken with Marinette and sighed. Of course he wasn’t completely over Ladybug yet, but he wished he was so he could like Marinette properly. Seeing his partner stirred up the emotions he was desperately trying to lay to rest. He wanted to see Mari, but he knew he shouldn’t until after things were back to normal. Still, he longed for her healing embrace.

            “Food. Hungry. Now. Akuma. Fight.” Plagg’s whining cut through his moping, the cat’s tail flicking back and forth impatiently. Adrien rolled his eyes and stepped out into the open, glancing around for a food cart. Spotting a popcorn stand nearby, he reached it in a few long strides and let Plagg loose inside the machine. The kwami folded his arms stubbornly.

            “You didn’t bring any Camembert?” He accused grumpily.

            “I forgot, okay? Now hurry up, you like popcorn.” Plagg grumbled under his breath to himself, diving into the buttery snack.

            After a few long minutes, Plagg emerged, licking butter from his arms and letting out a satisfied belch which prompted an eye roll from his master.

            “Finished?” Adrien sighed, cocking a brow. Plagg’s eyes suddenly went wide and he dove into Adrien’s shirt.

            “We’ve got trouble!” He gasped just as a blast from Le Pitre’s flower landed inches from them. Adrien jumped out of the way of another blast that destroyed the stand and rolled back onto his feet. He swore under his breath, knowing if the akuma was there she wasn’t far behind it, and he needed to get out of there before she-

            “Look out!” Her voice sounded as she slammed into him, tackling him out of the way of another blast. They landed hard on the ground, her body sprawled on top of his until she sat up quickly. “Are you okay?” She asked worriedly, helping him up. His heart accelerated despite his best efforts to stay calm, but the concern in her eyes was too genuine. Too loving. Being around her cut him deep enough, but now she was twisting the knife.

            “I’m fine,” He mumbled, looking away. She sighed, wrapping her arm around his waist and tossing her yoyo across the park.

            “Hang on,” She instructed, tugging the slack as he secured his arms around her. Once they landed safely across the park, she released her hold on him and took a hefty step away, distancing herself from him. His heart sank, frustration boiling in his blood.

            “Thanks,” He grumbled, turning his back to her.

            “You need to get out of here. Go somewhere safe,” She ordered. Seeing his hurt expression, she winced. “Please, Adrien. It’s hard for me too, okay? It will help me a lot if I now you’re safe.” A quiet groan rumbled in his throat.

            “Alright,” He said quietly, glancing at her over his shoulder one last time before running in the opposite direction. After he’d been trying to get over her, and she’d just reeled him back in with that adorable concern for his safety. She still cared about him, and no matter how hard he tried to deny it, he still cared about her too. His feelings for Mari held no weight to his feelings for Ladybug. Marinette was a candle burning next to a raging fire, and it angered him. Because Ladybug had left him not because she didn’t love him, but because she thought it wasn’t safe. She was protecting him, and he wanted to scream that he didn’t need her protection. He wanted to tell her who he really was.

            “Adrien,” Plagg nuzzled his cheek softly.

            “Come on,” He sighed. “Transform me.”

            He swallowed his pride, put on a face and joined his partner once more. Pretending came natural to him, he was good at hiding his true feelings when he wanted to. As much as it hurt to continue on, he needed to help her, so he cracked a sly smile.

            “Enough _clowning_ around. It’s time we got serious,” He joked. Ladybug rolled her eyes, but smiled.

            “You could learn a thing or two about comedy from him, Chat Noir,” She teased. The pair dodged several in coming pins. “Well, he certainly has an _explosive_ personality, doesn’t he?” She laughed and Chat Noir grinned proudly at her as if she were his comedic apprentice.

            “Nice one, m’lady,” He snickered. Le Pitre’s jaw clenched at their poor humor.

            “You two think you’re so funny! I’ll show you true humor!” He growled, as rubber chickens began to rain from the sky. How could they laugh at such lame jokes, but not at his performance? He laughed in amusement as they dodged around his props.

            “Where’s his akuma?” Chat asked as they evaded the onslaught of chickens. Capturing the akuma and getting away from his partner were high on his priority list.

            “I’m thinking in the flower,” Ladybug replied.

            “Then let’s go get it.”

Ladybug

            Seeing him made her anxious. Made her heart ache. The hurt on his face when he looked at her made her eyes burn. Admittedly, she wasn’t her best for that fight, too riled by their encounter, but luckily her partner was on point.

            Her mind felt jumbled. Because it was different seeing him as Ladybug than it was for Marinette. Adrien had no expectations for Marinette, but Ladybug had hurt him. They were different. Pained. Anxious. Distant. All the more reason she kept her identity locked deep inside her. Those eyes had power over her, and if he ever looked at Marinette that way…

            “You okay, LB?” Chat placed a hand on her shoulder, startling her.

            “I don’t…know,” She hugged herself, rubbing her arms absentmindedly. She felt cold despite the heat of the summer air, her body empty.

            “I didn’t realize clowns bothered you so much,” He glanced at the cheerful man below, passing out balloons as if none of it had ever happened. Lucky Charm had served its purpose. Everything was back to normal. Almost normal. Her powers could mend a lot of things, but a broken heart wasn’t one of them.

            “It’s not that,” She mumbled after a while. Chat winced, shifting uncomfortably.

            “Boyfriend troubles?” He asked cautiously. She shrugged, eyes stinging as her hurt bubbled over. “I, um, are, do you, should I?” He fumbled, panic flitting through those cat eyes. He extended his arms to her with a worried frown.

            The walls she’d delicately constructed between them came crumbling down at her feet as she stepped into his arms. It was selfish of her to seek comfort from her relationship woes with him, but he held her tightly to his chest, stroking her hair while the anguish poured out of her. For once, he didn’t question. For once, he didn’t crack a joke. Instead, he simply held her close while she shed all of her pain.

            His comfort was short lived. Soon the demanding beeps of their Miraculouses forced them apart, though Chat cupped her face in his hand gently for a moment as if to tell her everything would be alright before he backed away and vaulted off. As she watched him go, she wiped her face on her arm, taking a deep, calming breath before she rejoined the people below as Marinette.

            Normal. Her life was definitely far from it. Nothing about her was normal, and maybe nothing ever would be again. She could accept that, she supposed. Ladybug was her destiny; fate had chosen her for it. Sacrifices had to be made to protect Paris and the people she loved no matter the cost, a promise she had made from the beginning. So she would surrender her heart to Paris because she couldn’t afford to be distracted anymore.

            “Marinette!” Adrien called. His feet hit the pavement as he rushed toward her and scooped her off her feet, spinning her in a circle. “Are you okay?”

            “Y-Yeah. You?” She felt her face heat up as he crushed her against his chest, pressing his forehead to hers.

            “Uh, I’ll be fine. I was worried about you. When I saw that the akuma was a clown, I thought maybe something had happened to you,” His eyebrows furrowed in concern.

            “It did corner me, but Chat Noir saved me, so I’m fine, really,” She insisted. His shoulder’s relaxed a bit, a relieved smile stretching across his face.

            “And you hate him after all the times he’s saved you.” He tsked.

            “I don’t hate him!” She sighed, pushing away from him. She took in his playful grin and felt her own worry fade. “I lost the cat you won me in the mirror maze when the akuma attacked,” She said apologetically before realization dawned on her, “You picked it because of him, didn’t you?”

            “Maybe,” He winked. “Let’s go see if we can find it.” He said taking her hand. He _seemed_ fine which gave her hope that he was learning to let go just as she was. That they would both be okay in the end. After all, he was only Marinette’s friend, nothing more.

            Once they retrieved their stuffed feline, they set out in search of Alya and Nino, hand in hand to avoid getting separated again. They walked in silence for a few minutes before his grip tightened on her hand.

            “Actually, can we talk?” He asked quietly. Guilt smacked into her once more, but she swallowed it down, smiling sweetly. Adrien needed his friend, and his happiness mattered more than her own.

            “What’s wrong?” She asked gently.

            “Not here,” He said hesitantly, shrinking self-consciously. She glanced around at all of the passing faces and potential listening ears and understood his concern.

            “How about up there?” She suggested, pointing to the Ferris wheel. Adrien nodded, letting her lead the way.

            Once the bar secured them inside the small car, Marinette turned to him, giving his hand a reaffirming squeeze.

            “I ran into my ex during the akuma attack,” He started, staring down at the people loading below them.

            “Ouch,” She winced. “Are you okay?”

            He shrugged.

            “I thought I was until I saw her, then…it just brought back a lot of feelings I was trying to move past.” He sighed, eyes drooping sadly.

            “I know what that’s like,” She said softly. A little too well in fact. “Maybe your trip will do you some good. Get away from Paris for a while and sort out how you feel.”

            “Maybe,” He repeated. Slowly, he leaned his head against hers, lacing their fingers together while they stared at the activity below. “Thanks for putting up with me, Mari.”

            “What are friends for?” She smiled. “Have you talked to Nino about any of this?” She asked after a while.

            “A little. Guys don’t really discuss feelings like that though,” He said pointedly.

            “That’s true I supposed,” She pursed her lips. “Well, you’ve always got me.”

            “Thanks.”

            The sun had begun its descent over the horizon, faint purple hues still visible from the dying light. Paris lights were shining like tiny stars below them, the Eiffel Tower blinking brilliantly in the distance. On any other night between any other people, a view like that would have been romantic, but Marinette felt too numb. Too freshly broken to consider such things anymore. Her romantic relationship with him was over, and it was better that way or so she told herself.

            “It’s so beautiful from up here,” She commented to fill the void in their conversation. To distract them from the pain they felt.

            “Sometimes I forget how amazing it is here.” He reflected contently, glancing down at her. She was watching the city below, a small, relaxed smile on her lips. Too preoccupied with her own admiration, she didn’t notice the way he looked at her. How warmly his eyes studied her before he leaned closer.

            At his movement, Mari turned her head to look up at him curiously only to find herself nose-to-nose with him. His eyes searched hers for a split second before he leaned in closer, eyelids drooping as his lips brushed hers.

            _Adrien is going to kiss me!_

            The realization made her go stiff, her whole body freezing into a statue. _Why?_ The question plagued her mind. _Why_ would he kiss her? _Why_ after today? _Why_ did he have to complicate everything?

            Adrien must have sensed her unease because he pulled away abruptly, ripping his hand from hers and rubbing the back of his neck, embarrassed.

            “S-Sorry, I-I didn’t, I-” His face fell into his hand.

            Adrien had tried to kiss her. But _why_? Did he like her? But he still had feelings for Ladybug! Was it possible to fall for two people at once? She’d never found anyone who compared to Adrien, so the possibility seemed improbable to her. Her mind spun with questions while her heart raced, and she griped the edges of her shorts anxiously, spine still stiff as a board.

            Should she say something? What could she say? How did she feel about it? Confused. Extremely confused. If Adrien was interested in her…

            _Stop it, Marinette! You can’t be with him. You are friends. Nothing more!_

            But even so, her heart fluttered in her chest, face still reddened at the thought. One thing was certain after that day: he’d just made her plans a whole lot harder.

 

* * *

Author's Notes:

Fluff and angst for you on this fine Monday eve or Tuesday morn depending on where you are in the world.

Things are getting mighty complicated up in here, and I'm not at liberty to say it gets any better ;)

Expect lots of Adrinette and Marichat over the next several chapters and for most of the rest of part one. Very little LadyNoir (at least from a romance standpoint) and like maybe one other Ladrien moment. 

Let me know what you think! Next chapter in a week! See you guys soon!

Also! If you haven't already I posted a little drabble titled Marinette's Secrets. It's unrelated to this story and it's really short (in comparison to a chapter from this fic XD) so check it out and let me know what you think :) 

 

 


	7. Lady Luck

Chapter Seven Lady Luck

            Stupid! He was so stupid! Why did he do that? Of course she didn’t want to kiss him! She _froze_ when he leaned in; what was he thinking? They were friends, _just_ friends. Marinette didn’t like him…Why would she?

            Absolute idiot! Now she probably didn’t even want to be his friend anymore because he screwed up. Mari was just being so nice to him, and he thought…what had he thought? Oh, right. Nothing! He wasn’t thinking when they were cuddled together in that small car, watching the lights, holding hands…

            Stop it! It was all platonic, not romantic. He’d misread the situation, and now she probably hated him. Why did he think she liked him as anything more than a friend? She made it clear all day that she didn’t want him, but he was too stupid to see it. Something about that realization stung a little. Because he _wanted_ her to like him, he wasn’t ready for rejection again. He had only just planted romantic seeds for Marinette, but their friendship was in full bloom. Or it was. Until he took a flamethrower to their garden by trying to kiss her.

            The heartache he felt lying on the couch of his dressing room in Milan was different than before. Losing the love of his life had shattered him, and Marinette picked up the pieces. Losing her…losing her felt worse because now he had no one to pick up the pieces, to help him back on his feet. It wasn’t an intense, earth-shattering plummet into depression, no, it was a dull ache that lingered. The hurt he felt for Ladybug was like a rollercoaster. Sometimes it hurt more, sometimes less, but Mari’s hurt was stagnant. Nothing made it better, and nothing took his mind off of it. Thinking of her made his palms sweat and knots form in his chest and stomach.

            His relationship with Ladybug was dead even if they were both still carrying the pain. They couldn’t fix it, and he knew that. It pushed him forward, pushed him to carry on, but Mari…he could fix that, and it terrified him. Every time he typed a long apology text, his thumb locked up over the send button, and he ended up deleting it instead. He couldn’t find the right words, couldn’t bear to agonize waiting for her response.

            Plenty of apologies ran through his mind, but the fear of her rejection chewed at his nerves. Despite telling himself repeatedly that Marinette was nice and probably wasn’t upset, he still couldn’t bring himself to believe it. For the rest of the time in the amusement park, he couldn’t even bring himself to look at her, and she didn’t say anything either. That meant she was mad, didn’t it?

            “Adrien? Are you dressed? They’re ready to start the shoot,” Nathalie knocked on his door. He sighed, glancing at the jacket and sunglasses on the chair beside him that completed his outfit. Being the hot, teen heartthrob of the summer was extremely low on his list of concerns, but he knew better than to keep them waiting. Slipping on his jacket as he followed Nathalie up the hall to the set, he pulled out his phone and began typing the millionth apology text, thumb lingering over the send button.

            _Just send it._ But what if she’s still angry? _Won’t know until you try_. What if she says she doesn’t want to be friends anymore? _Send it._ I can’t! _Chicken._

            “Adrien,” Nathalie warned right before he walked directly into one of the standing lights, sending it crashing to the floor where the bulb shattered and sparked. To make matters worse, his phone slipped from his grasp, hitting the ground with a crunch. As Gorilla shot the smoking light with a fire extinguisher, Adrien slowly bent down to retrieve his phone, pieces of the screen chunking off as he lifted it. Great.

            “No!” The photographer growled, looking him over. “He scraped his face, I cannot shoot him like this!”

            Adrien touched the small scratch on his face, wincing slightly as a stinging pain resonated across his face. Nathalie and Gorilla exchanged a worried look. His father was going to kill all three of them.

            “We’ll get him back in makeup, just give us a few minutes,” Nathalie insisted, grabbing his elbow and tugging him back up the hall. “Marcelle! Cover up that scratch, I don’t want to see it under a magnifying glass!”

            The tiny woman nodded and anxiously went to work, blotting the small amount of blood from the cut before dabbing concealer over it. Adrien stared at the broken phone in his hands worriedly. Had the message sent? A new wave of nausea came over him. Nathalie glanced at the phone and sighed, dialing a number quickly on her own phone and pressing it to her ear.

            “Francois, I need you to overnight a phone for Adrien…No, the penthouse in New York. Yes, the new one…That’s fine,” She hung up and assessed the progress on the cover up. “Good, we can edit it out if it shows up on film. Get him out there!” She ordered.

            His day was filled with small disasters everywhere he turned. A prop nearly fell on him, he ripped the sleeve on his jacket, and his father bailed on their dinner reservation, though he was used to _that_ by this point. Everything that could go wrong did, and he still felt sick over his message to Mari the whole plane ride to New York.

            Once they arrived at their penthouse suite, Adrien found a brand new phone already synced with his contacts. He tossed it onto the bed, stomach in knots at the thought of checking for a reply from Marinette.

            Plagg emerged from his suitcase and twirled around, taking in the room which had a nice view of the harbor and distant Statue of Liberty.

            “Swanky,” He commented, flopping down on a pillow.

            “The best money can buy, as usual,” Adrien groaned, falling onto the mattress with a sigh. His new phone buzzed near his head, but Adrien didn’t move, so Plagg floated over to it.

            “Six new messages,” He announced. Adrien felt his stomach lurch, and he bolted upright, racing to the bathroom. His kwami followed, unfazed as Adrien emptied the contents of his stomach, carrying the phone with him. “Oh look, your message to what’s-her-whoever just saved to a draft, see?”

            Adrien lifted his head with a moan, nausea wreaking havoc on his digestive tract. His new messages were mostly from Chloe, one from Nino, and he had one saved message to Mari. _Good._ He sighed with relief.

            “Oops,” Plagg gasped as the phone slipped from his grasp and landed in the toilet with a thunk. “I’ll get it,” Plagg offered, but Adrien held up a hand to stop him.

            “Nathalie,” He called, a whine adding a lilt to his voice. Well, at least now he knew that the message hadn’t sent.

            “Yes, sir. Looks like food poisoning. Uh-huh. You’re sure? Alright,” Nathalie hung up and sat at the edge of the bed where Adrien lay looking pale and miserable. She took the thermometer from his mouth and checked it. “No fever. Your father canceled the interview this afternoon, but you still have a shoot tonight. Get some rest.”

            “Alright,” He sighed, rolling onto his side.

            “Also, your new phone should be here by tomorrow afternoon.”

            “Thanks, Nathalie,” The woman nodded curtly and paced from the room, closing the door behind her as she went.

            “I told you the lobster looked off,” Plagg chided.

            “Not now, Plagg,” Adrien moaned.

            “I’m just saying, I told ya so,” The black cat smirked, curling up against Adrien’s head.

            “Yeah, thanks.” Adrien felt a flare of annoyance.

            “It’s because you and Ladybug are out of whack. You picked up some bad juju,” Plagg continued, unaware of Adrien’s irritation as usual.

            “What are you talking about? What does that have to do with anything?”

            “There’s stress on your relationship. You two are opposite sides of the same coin, gives you bad luck to distance yourself from her because of your Miraculous representing destruction and misfortune.”

            “Well, Plagg, I can’t really help that right now can I?” Adrien growled.

            “I know someone who can help,” Plagg offered. “Back in Paris.”

            “Who?”

            “His name is Master Fu.”

Marinette

            “He _what_?” Alya gaped at her friend in disbelief. The pair sat in the pink rolling chairs in Marinette’s room.

            “Well, I think it’s what he wanted, I-I dunno,” Marinette curled into a ball, hugging her knees to her chest.

            “Mari, he likes you!” Alya bounced excitedly as Marinette moaned, “No!”

            Alya grabbed Marinette’s arm and rolled her closer, poking her teasingly.

            “He likes you!”

            “No.”

            “He tried to kiss you.”

            “Noo…”

            “You two are gonna get married and make beautiful ¼ Chinese babies!”

            “No!”

            “What is your deal?” Alya huffed. “This is your dream come true!”

            “Alya, I said he tried to kiss me. I clammed up and he pulled away, and it was awkward for both of us. In case you didn’t noticed, neither of us even looked at each other afterward.” Marinette whined.

            “Well, text him, and tell him you love him!” Alya ordered, pointing to her phone on the desk.

            “No,” Marinette groaned, throwing her head back.

            “Why not, M? Why not be happy? Go out with him and get to know him better,” Alya chided. Marinette’s response was another unintelligible groan. “What’s with you? You have been in love with him since like the second day of school, and now all of a sudden you want to get over him when he’s finally taking interest in you? Do you realize how crazy you sound?”

            True, she _must_ have looked crazy to Alya because she was right, subtracting the Ladybug detail, nothing about it made sense, but it wasn’t like she could tell her about it. A moan rumbled in her throat, shoulders slumping.

            “It’s complicated,” She sighed.

            “Look, I’ll give you until he comes back, but as soon as you see him, you tell that boy you love him and then kiss his face and _enjoy it_!” Alya placed her hands on her hips, and Marinette rolled her eyes.

            “I’m not making any promises, but I will talk to him when he comes back,” She vowed.

            “And then you’ll kiss him,” Her friend smirked.

            “No!” Marinette laughed, kicking away from her.

            “Yes!” Alya insisted. “Get with that boy, or so help me, I will take back your birthday present!”

            Marinette shook her head with a small smile. Alya was just doing her best to be supportive, and Marinette appreciated the sentiment even if it wasn’t helpful. Besides, she really needed to talk to him and sort things out. Maybe he could explain why he did it, and even if he did have a crush on her, it was likely early enough to turn him down politely without any hard feelings.

            “Anyway, gotta go. I’m meeting Nino for lunch before his gig this afternoon,” Alya stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

            “Like a date?” Marinette grinned.

            “Just lunch between friends who happen to flirt occasionally,” She said matter-of-factly. “Ya know what? I’m gonna ask him on a real date because I’m embracing love.”

            “Go get him, girl!” Mari cheered.

            “I will, and then you’ll have no excuse not to ask Adrien out.” Her friend stuck out her tongue mischievously and disappeared down the stairs with a wave. Marinette rested her head on her desk with a sigh, Tikki flitting up beside her.

            “You really can’t catch a break can you?” Her kwami offered a sympathetic expression.

            “In her defense, it does seem odd.” Marinette groaned.

            “If Adrien likes you as more than a friend, we’ve got big problems. It doesn’t solve anything if he goes from loving one side of you to the other.” Tikki cautioned seriously.

            “I know, I know, and I’m working on giving up my feelings, but he was acting extra sweet at the amusement park and the almost kiss didn’t help either,” She sighed glancing at the stuffed cat resting on her chaise. “How did this happen?”

            “You batted those pretty eyelashes of yours when he was weak,” Tikki pointed out, striking a mock innocent pose.

            “Well, I couldn’t just leave him! It didn’t feel right…” She picked at her diary cover nervously.

            “You’re too nice sometimes, Marinette, and this is the consequence,” Tikki rolled her eyes.

            “Just my luck, I guess,” She sighed, standing up. “Let’s go see Master Fu. I always feel better afterward.”

            “That’s Wayzz. The turtle is a healing Miraculous which is why Master Fu can make people feel better; he uses magic.” Tikki explained as Marinette grabbed her bag and headed down the stairs.

            “Even when he’s not transformed?” Marinette gasped.

            “He and Wayzz are advanced because they’ve been together so long. You’ll get certain manifestations of your powers outside of transformation eventually too.” She spread her arms out cheerfully.

            “As long as I can control it…I will be able to control it, right?” She cocked a brow, and her kwami shifted nervously. “Right, Tikki?”

            “There might be a bit of a learning curve at first…” She smiled sheepishly before diving into Marinette’s purse as they reached the bakery level.

            “Here you go, sweetie. I baked you and your friend some madeleines today,” Tom grinned cheerfully, holding out a small box.

            “Thanks, papa!” Mari stretched up to kiss his cheek sweetly. “See you later.”

            “Oh, sweetheart, take an umbrella! I hear it’s supposed to rain,” Sabine called from the front counter where she passed change to a customer.

            “Kay,” Mari replied, grabbing the black umbrella Adrien had given her. Somehow it didn’t give her as much satisfaction now as it used to.

            Gray clouds loomed overhead as she made the walk to Master Fu’s shop. A disgruntled man stalking down the sidewalk bumped into her shoulder, dropping the small box in his hands.

            “I’m sorry! Let me get it!” Marinette bowed politely before bending down to retrieve the jewelry box, but the man waved it away.

            “Just keep it,” He grunted, turning and storming off.

            “Wait!” Mari called, but he was already gone.

            “Wow, I wonder what that was about,” Tikki tilted her head to the side. Mari picked up the black box and cracked it open where a beautiful pearl necklace rested inside. “It’s beautiful!”

            “What should I do with it?” Marinette eyed it guiltily. “I shouldn’t keep it, should I?”

            “He gave it to you,” Tikki shrugged. “That was really lucky.”

Marinette tucked it away in her purse as small rain droplets splashed against the pavement. Hurriedly, she opened the umbrella only to find that the wall of rain stopped just short of her as if it were only raining on half of the city.

“That’s odd,” She held out her hand, catching a few drops in her palm. Tikki eyed it knowingly but remained silent, thoughtful.

Fortune favored her quite often that week. She won a free movie for being the thousandth customer of the day, she correctly guessed who would win the KIDZ+ challenge that week; while she was drawing in front of the Eiffel Tower, Jagged Stone approached her and gave her free tickets to his show for designing his album cover. Everything was almost too perfect for her.

“I feel weird,” Marinette rubbed her arm anxiously as she and Tikki sat on a park bench.

“I’ve been observing your encounters this week, and I think I’ve finally figured it out,” Tikki started. “This is what I was telling you about. Your powers are manifesting outside of Ladybug and giving you good luck.”

“Well, how do I turn it off?” She whined. Tikki thought about it for a moment, folding her arms over her chest in concentration.

“Master Fu might know. Let’s go see him after lunch,” Tikki suggested after a while. Marinette nodded, eager to put a stop to whatever surge of good fortune had swung into her life.

Adrien

“Are you sure this is right?” Adrien cocked a brow, staring up at the sign in front of Master Fu’s shop. “This doesn’t seem like the place a great guardian would live.”

“What were you expecting? A castle?” Plagg grunted. “Just go in. He’ll be expecting you.”

“He doesn’t even know we’re coming,” Adrien said pointedly.

“I don’t know how he does it, but he knows,” Plagg shivered with a distant gaze. Adrien gulped, taking a deep breath before entering the small shop.

“H-Hello?” Adrien called as they walked down the hall to the bamboo patterned door. He opened it carefully and peaked inside where an old man was sitting calmly on the floor.

“Can I help you?” He asked with a serene smile. Adrien felt his frazzled nerves relaxing under the man’s soothing gaze and tranquil demeanor.

“I, um, are you-”

“Yo, gramps, got any Camembert?” Plagg blurted, bursting into the room.

“Plagg!” Adrien hissed, but the old man, Master Fu he supposed, simply smiled knowingly and motioned to a wheel of Plagg’s favorite cheese on the tea table beside him.

“Come in, sit,” He offered kindly, gesturing to the free space on the mat. Adrien approached cautiously, the door closing behind him as he knelt down in front of Master Fu. “You’ve been having trouble?”

“H-How’d you know?” Adrien’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

“You kwami has brought you here,” He chuckled, pouring a cup of tea and offering it to Adrien.

“He’s been having bad luck lately,” Plagg explained around a mouthful of cheese. The wise old man nodded, stroking his beard.

“You powers are growing,” He murmured thoughtfully.

“Can you help me?” Adrien winced.

“There are many ways to remedy your problem. The black cat Miraculous represents destruction, chaos, and misfortune. After some time, under certain circumstances, that power can leech out of you, though, it normally projects outward to those around you, but you seem to have internalized it.”

“Plagg said it’s because my relationship with Ladybug is strained…” He rubbed the back of his neck guiltily.

“That is part of it,” Master Fu nodded. “It also comes from your own heart. Your nature is to let yourself suffer at the expense of others, is it not?”

Adrien’s head lowered in shame, and he tapped the cup with his fingers nervously. His problems were his, and he hated burdening everyone with his sob stories. Well, almost everyone…Marinette was the only person he’d truly opened up to about any of his problems. Sure, his best friend knew about his overly controlling dad, but Mari knew how broken he really was on the inside. That he wasn’t as okay as he pretended to be all the time. Mari…

“What should I do? I don’t want anyone else to suffer because of me,” He looked up hopefully.

“You can mend your relationship with Ladybug,” Master Fu suggested, but upon seeing Adrien’s reluctance, he added, “or you must find something that brings you luck. This solution is only temporary and only lasts if you are with it. It will do until you are ready to face the root of your problem.”

“So, I just need a good luck charm?” He cocked a brow.

“Not just any charm. You need something endowed with lucky energy. An object or a person with special meaning to you can suffice,” Master Fu instructed. Adrien slumped. His Miraculous was probably the only thing he owned that he would be distraught about losing, and that obviously wasn’t going to do him any favors.

“Thanks for your help, Master Fu,” He bowed politely. “I-If you don’t mind me asking before I go…Plagg says you’re the Guardian of the Miraculous…You gave me this, didn’t you?” He touched his ring gently.

“Fate chose you and Ladybug, I simply delivered the tools.” He smiled down at him patiently. “Your destinies are entwined, and you two are stronger together. It may seem impossible now, but don’t let your relationship tarnish, or you will both suffer the consequences.”

The warning made his skin crawl, but he nodded obediently. Ladybug had been mostly off his mind lately because of Mari, but he still thought of the hurt she’d shown Chat Noir after their last fight every so often. He’d been cold to her, even unintentionally, he hurt her, and now they were both suffering just like Master Fu said. Both slaves to their feelings for each other, both still affected by the actions of the other. Until the ferris wheel, he had Mari to hold him when he cried, but who did Ladybug have, he wondered.

Thinking about her pain, made his so much worse. He hadn’t meant to act so distant, but seeing her tore him apart. Did she feel the same way? And yet she still protected him and showed him kindness because she still cared about him. They were trapped in a vicious cycle of love and pain because secretly they both knew the feelings of the other, and it made everything worse. Being in love but unable to be together. If they continued on that way, they would only continue to bring each other down.

Adrien stood, piecing together what he needed to do. He smiled meekly to the old man and bowed respectfully once again.

“Thank you, Master Fu, for everything.” He said softly.

“It is my job to guide you whenever you need it. If ever you need me, I am here,” Master Fu returned the gesture, and Adrien felt a rush of calm spread through him. A sense of determination to face his problems.

“Plagg,” He sighed, glancing at his overstuffed companion.  
            “Coming,” Plagg said sleepily, retreating into Adrien’s over shirt. “I think I’m gonna take a nap.”

Adrien rolled his eyes and waved to Master Fu as he left. Two relationships in peril, and he wasn’t quite sure which one he felt like fixing first. He felt more confident about Ladybug, but there was no telling when he’d see her next. Marinette would be easy enough to track down, but… How did he get himself into this mess?

Ladybug had shown him that she was struggling just as much as he was, and they weren’t getting anywhere because they were both still holding onto their feelings. What they needed was closure, a figurative closing of the door on their relationship because it had ended so quickly, so abruptly, that neither of them had time to really say goodbye. If they wanted to heal and move on, it needed to end.

On the other hand, Marinette needed a real apology, an explanation that he hadn’t come up with yet. Why had he tried to kiss her? Sure, he was starting to like her as somewhat more than a friend, but he hadn’t quite gotten to the fantasizing about kissing her stage yet…Had he? No! His emotions were running wild at the time, Ladybug had him confused, and Mari…She was there looking sweet and angelic and-

“Oh, I’m sorry!” He blurted simultaneously as he and a stranger bumped shoulders.

“You’re back!” _Oh no_. Adrien stared into those timid blue eyes of hers in horror.

“Uhh, y-yeah. Last night,” He shifted nervously as awkward silence fell between them. Apologies hid on the tip of his tongue, held back by paralyzing fear. Fear of saying the wrong thing. Fear of losing a dear friend. Of losing her.

“Well, I don’t want to keep you if you have somewhere else to be. I’m actually headed somewhere, so,” She drummed her fingers on the box of sweets in her hands.

“Making a delivery?” He inquired, nodding at it.

“Uh, sort of…I sometimes visit a friend of mine who’s…older, and we usually have tea, so I bring sweets,” She glanced around, everywhere but at him, sending a twinge of guilt through his chest. He needed to fix this.

“Cool,” He nodded. What should he say? How did he feel about her? She was a good friend, a best friend even, not to mention adorable and sweet and caring and…nice. Mari was unbearably nice at times, so why was he so afraid?

“Yep,” She pursed her lips. This awkwardness was his fault, and to make it worse he was too afraid to apologize for it. As much as he willed it, those words refused to leave his lips. As the silence between them stretched on, Mari took a step back, smiling politely. “So, I’ll see you later then.”

“Uh, yeah, I’ll be…around,” His voice trailed off as she turned away and headed up the street. “Marinette…wait!” He sighed after she’d taken a few steps. After a split second of hesitation, she turned back around.

“Yeah?” She looked him over apprehensively.

“I’m really, really, _really_ sorry for the other day at the park. I-I didn’t meant to try to, I mean, we’re just friends and I’m totally fine with that, really!” The words spilled out of him like vomit.

“N-Not that I don’t want to, I’m just, well, I do want to, or well, I wouldn’t mind, if you were comfortable with it of course, I-I was just, there was the akuma and my ex, and we were alone, and I was feeling down, and- God, it sounds like I’m using you for rebound, I’m not! Please don’t think that!” He held up defensive hands as Mari looked him up and down quizzically.

“You’re just really nice and amazing, and I don’t want things to be weird like this between us forever just because I’m stupid, so please don’t be mad at me.” His head lowered sadly.

Marinette eyed him for a long moment, processing his word vomit before she broke into a laugh.

“It’s fine. I’m not mad at all,” She smiled, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I-I just wasn’t sure if you were mad at me…” She winced.

“ _Me_? Why would I be mad?” Adrien’s eyes grew wide with bewilderment.

_Stupid! No wonder she didn’t say anything, she thought you were mad this whole time, and you were too chicken to make it right, so she’s been suffering, and- Adrien you stupid idiot!_

“Well, I froze up and made it weird. I didn’t mind, it’s just…it would have been my first, so I guess I panicked a little,” She bit her lip, cheeks pink. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, Marinette was too cute for words.

“Really? You’ve never been kissed before?” His eyebrows raised in shock.

“You sound surprised,” She laughed. “I guess I should be flattered.”

“Sorry, I-I just, I dunno. It seems like everyone likes you, so I would have thought maybe someone would have…” He shoved his hands in his pockets to hide them, face flush with embarrassment.

“Nope,” She shrugged. “My feelings have never been reciprocated, so it’s just…never happened.”

“I know what that’s like,” He sighed. Sort of anyways. “Well, now that we’re not mad at each other, wanna see a movie later?”

“Sure, and I wanna hear all about your trip.” She smiled warmly, sending tiny shocks up his spine.

“Meet me at the theater around, say…Four o’clock?” He suggested.

“Sounds great. See you then,” She waved, turning and heading in the direction he came from.

He smiled to himself, watching her go, grateful that he’d just overreacted and that everything was fine. He really was stupid. Marinette was the sweetest girl he knew, so of course she would blame herself. He rolled his eyes at his own idiocy and headed up the street feeling greatly relieved for the first time since he’d left.

At four o’clock, Adrien stood outside the theater anxiously awaiting Marinette’s arrival. All of his anxiety the past week and a half seemed silly now that he knew why she’d been so quiet. At least now he knew not to be afraid of apologizing to her ever again because chances are she wasn’t angry at all. The only person he’d ever really seen Marinette angry with was Chloe, and she had a good enough reason for that.

How far their friendship had come in the past month. Before he could have sworn Marinette didn’t really like him, but now she was one of his closest friends. He felt more comfortable with her than he did with Nino, and until recently he usually told Nino practically everything. But somehow talking to Marinette felt more right. He didn’t know why he felt so drawn to her, but ever since she’d comforted him in the park that day she had always been on his mind in some way or another.

“Sorry I’m late!” She panted, running up to him. “The subway was running behind.”

“That’s okay, you’re not late at all.” He insisted. “I just got here too.” She seemed a bit relieved at his assurance, so he gestured to the theater door pulling it open for her. “After you.”

“Thanks,” She bit back a smile.

“Congratulations! You’re the hundredth customer to buy a large popcorn today! Here’s a complimentary free movie pass!” The manager cheered as they entered. Adrien eyed the situation curiously.

“They’ve been doing a lot of giveaways lately for stuff like that,” Marinette explained. “I got a free movie the other day when I came with Lila.”

“How lucky,” He commented. Marinette seemed to shift uncomfortably.

“Yeah…” She mumbled. “My week has been full of stuff like that.”

“Really?” Adrien cocked an interested brow. Maybe…

“Look out!” A warning call sounded as a display came crashing down. Instinctively, Adrien grabbed Marinette and pulled her close to him as the prop crashed to the floor a few feet from where they stood. Adrien eyed it knowingly.

“You kids alright?” One of the workers rushed over to them worriedly.

“Yeah, no harm, no foul,” Marinette insisted as the manager fumbled with his clipboard.

“Here, why don’t you two take these passes? Anything you want, on the house.” He held up defensive hands.

“Someone was looking out for you kids. The way that support broke, it should have landed on top of you two.” The worker grunted, folding his arms over his chest. “You two are lucky.”

The words ran through Adrien’s mind as he watched them pick up the pieces. If he’d been alone would that have ended differently? He glanced at Mari thinking about what Master Fu said. His lucky charm should be something or _someone_ important to him, and he’d realized after the last two weeks of agonizing over the thought of losing her that Marinette was extremely important to him…

“You’re my good luck charm,” He gasped.

“What?” She asked.

“N-Nothing, I was just saying I’m glad we didn’t get crushed,” He chuckled sheepishly. “Come on, let’s go get popcorn. It is free, after all.” He took her hand and pulled her toward the counter, face burning red.

“That’s true,” She hummed with a smile as they waited. He tightened his grip on her hand, not ready to let go. She was his anchor, the yin to his yang, good luck to his bad, and he was going to hold onto her for as long as she allowed. Because that’s how it worked, right? He was only safe when they were together.

“Well, well, look at the happy couple.” Alya laughed as she and Nino appeared from the hall of theaters. Marinette immediately ripped her hand away from his, cheeks pink.

“We’re _not_ a couple,” She said sternly. His hand burned from the electricity of her touch, her quick rejection sending a stab of disappointment through him. It’s not like they _were_ together, in fact he wasn’t sure he was completely ready for a new relationship, and he wouldn’t really qualify this as a date per say, but, even still, part of him wanted Marinette to like him as more than a friend.

 He was surprised by how rapidly he was falling under her spell so soon after losing the girl he deemed the love of his life. Reflecting on everything, that title seemed a bit dramatic now. Ladybug had been his first love when he’d never really been exposed to girls before, aside from Chloe, so naturally he thought she was the one. But she wasn’t, and he was coming to terms with that thanks to Mari.

“I give them a week,” Alya elbowed Nino, whose arm was draped around her shoulders. He raised a questioning brow to his friend, and Nino offered a small smile and a shrug. Adrien nodded approvingly then turned to order popcorn and drinks.

“We’re not like that. Just friends,” Mari chided, folding her arms over her chest. “Right, Adrien?”

“Yeah…” He winced. Alya eyed him hard, lips pursed.

“If you say so,” She huffed. “Anyway, we’re gonna go for coffee. We’ll see you two ‘friends’ later.”

“They seem cozy,” Adrien commented, handing Mari her drink.

“Alya asked him out the day after you left. They’ve been going on dates a lot since then, so I’ve been hanging out with other people.” Mari shrugged, taking a few kernels from the bucket and popping them in her mouth.

“Nino did text me something like that I think, but I sort of lost three phones while I was gone.” He said thoughtfully.

“Three?” She cocked a brow. “And everyone says I’m clumsy.”

“It’s been a rough couple weeks for me.” He admitted with a sigh.

“Why is that?” Her eyes narrowed worriedly.

“Just everything that could go wrong did, but it’s not important,” He insisted as they found seats.

“Are you sure?” She pouted adorably.

“Yes, it’s fine now. Don’t worry about it,” He placed a hand over hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Though she seemed reluctant, she didn’t press any further, something he truly appreciated about her. She cared but didn’t push which made her very easy to trust. Her heart was so pure, and he couldn’t understand why he’d never looked at her before.

Ladybug.

Right. That was why. Lila had told him once that a girl didn’t need superpowers to be amazing, but he’d never believed her until Mari approached him in the park that day, the day he realized she was the most amazing girl he’d ever met, someone who didn’t need superpowers to help people.

He’d been so blind, and even now he still couldn’t allow himself to fall for her fully because deep down there was a small sliver of hope left that Ladybug would change her mind, and it killed him. Knowing she still cared and could possibly be persuaded to change her mind…but he also knew her better, and knew that once she made up her mind, she wasn’t going back. Love was a frustrating and incurable disease. On one hand he wanted to have a normal life with Marinette, but on the other hand he wanted that life with Ladybug too. But he could never have either because he and Ladybug were superheroes. Their lives would never be normal, but at least with Mari he could pretend.

He wasn’t paying much attention to the movie, instead his thoughts focused on her. Each time she shifted or took a sip of her drink, the sound of her laugh…He soaked in all of her small nuances in comparison to Ladybug. His partner was incredibly smart on her feet, but part of him wondered if it was all the mask. Typically he wasn’t as bold and outspoken as Chat Noir, mostly for fear of the repercussions that followed such behavior. Was her bravado a product of her secret identity? Did he even really know Ladybug?

Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t.

What he did know was that the person Marinette presented was unapologetically who she was, no masks, no alter egos, just…Mari, and he liked that. He liked her transparency; he liked _her_. That realization sent a rush of blood to his cheeks as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He liked her. Plain and simple.

Of course, the problem he faced on that front was that she didn’t seem to feel the same way about him. Maybe he would turn up the charm a little and borrow some of Chat Noir’s swagger. Though, given his track record that might backfire. Okay, maybe he wouldn’t be that bold, but perhaps Alya could give him pointers. Girls knew that sort of stuff about their best friends, right?

“That was actually really good,” Mari’s voice broke his trance. He glanced up and realized the credits were rolling. “I was skeptical of the main character at first, but I like how they resolved it in the end.”

“Uh, right, yeah, me too,” He laughed nervously.

“So, do you want to-” Her voice trailed off as the lights flickered overhead for a moment before encasing the room in darkness. As several irritated and frightened individuals began to complain, Adrien slipped his hand in Mari’s and pulled her close. After a few seconds, the emergency power clicked on, the dim lights providing enough light to illuminate the exits.

“Stay close to me,” Adrien ordered, eyes narrowing skeptically. Something in his gut told him he needed to get her somewhere safe. He had a bad feeling about this.

As if on cue, a face flashed on the screen, an akumatized victim spouting their evil plans to take over the theater business or something. Adrien didn’t care, he just wanted to get Marinette out of there, but at the sight of the akuma on the screen, people stirred themselves into a panic, crowding out of the exits like a desperate stampede.

“We should go too,” Mari called over the noise, hugging his arm. He nodded and they immersed themselves in the crowd. Slowly, he felt Marinette’s hand being pried from his own as the crowd tugged them in different directions.

“Marinette!” He called, attempting to reach her again, but he was a fish swimming upstream.

“Meet you outside!” She yelled back, following the crowd. Frustration boiled in his blood, and at the first opportunity, he ducked into the abandoned boys’ bathroom.

“Plagg, transform me!”

Ladybug

Getting away from the crowd took longer than she would have liked, but fortunately Chat Noir had arrived by the time she made it on the scene.

“You’re late, m’lady,” He teased as she helped him up after the akuma flung him into a popcorn machine.

“I got a little held up. What are we dealing with?” She asked as they turned to assess the villain terrorizing the cowering staff members.

“Frustrated theater employee, wants a promotion, calls himself ‘the Manager’ blah, blah, pretty typical.” Chat Noir explained dryly.

“Any idea where the akuma is hiding?” She examined him carefully.

“I’m betting in his name tag.” Ladybug ruffled the hair between his cat ears.

“Nice work, kitty. Let’s go get him.” She praised before they threw themselves back into the action.

“You two won’t stop me from controlling this business. Soon I’ll be in charge!” The Manager spat.

“Yeah, yeah. We’ve heard it all before,” Chat rolled his eyes.

 He seemed impatient today, almost like he had somewhere else to be. Not that she could fault him after he carried their last battle for her when Adrien threw her for a loop which was why she worked so much harder that battle to carry him. They were a team, and she valued his constant support and wanted him to know she had his back too. In the end, her super sticky bubble gum Lucky Charm was enough to stick the akuma in his place.

“Once again local heroes, Ladybug and Chat Noir, have saved Paris from another supervillain!” Mrs. Chamack reported enthusiastically while they waved to the cameras.

“Gotta go. Catch you later,” Chat whispered before slinking off. She hoped everything was alright with him and supposed she should probably head out too and find Adrien.

While she searched for a place to change back as another spot disappeared, she stopped dead in her tracks. There he was, standing a few feet in front of her, hands in his pockets as he looked her over nervously. Immediately, her spine stiffened and that age old feeling of regret found its way into her veins.

“Um, is everything…are you okay?” She stammered. He weighed the question for a moment, chewing through her fragile nerves.

“Not really, no,” He said finally, lifting his gaze to meet hers.

“Are you hurt? Do you need-”

“No,” He cut her off. “I’m fine…physically anyways, but emotionally I’m still a mess when I see you.”

“Oh…” She made an uncomfortable face and stared down at her feet. “Look, I’m sorry I hurt you, but-”

“Don’t,” He shook his head, slowly pacing toward her. “Don’t apologize or tell me how rough it was for you. That only makes it worse for both of us.” At her silence he continued, “We can’t keep doing this, Ladybug. Seeing you hurts, and because it hurts, I can’t move on. Because it hurts you too, which means you still care about me as much as I care about you.”

“I do still care about you-”

“Don’t say that!” His voice rose in volume, forcing her back a step as her second to last spot disappeared. She had a minute.

“Well, what do you want me to say?” She shot back, hands balled into fists. “That I don’t still love you because I do! That I don’t feel guilty every time I see you because I do! That I don’t wish things were different?” She held out her arms and gave a defeated shrug. Adrien sighed as her earrings beeped in protest. “I have to go.”

“Wait,” He grabbed her wrist as she moved passed him. “Can you do me… _us_ a favor?”

“What is it?” She asked, lip quivering as she searched his eyes.

“End it. Properly this time. How it should have ended. I’m ready to move on, so let’s stop pretending things will ever change for us and just…end it.” He pleaded. She swallowed hard then nodded, praying her transformation would hold as she stepped into his arms. He hugged her tightly, breathing her in one last time before pulling away.

“Goodbye, Ladybug.” He smiled sadly.

“Goodbye, Adrien.” She nodded, cupping his face for a moment before turning and running into the nearest theater as Tikki popped out of her earrings with an exhausted groan.

“Sorry, Tikki!” She whispered. “Thank you for holding on.”

“At least now you two can stop being so anxious around each other.” Tikki sighed.

“Yeah…” Marinette smiled, leaning back against the wall. “Now we can finally put those feelings to rest.”

Adrien

            “Adrien!” Her sweet voice brought a smile to his lips. He turned and opened his arms to catch her as she slammed into him, hugging him tightly. “I couldn’t find you! I was so worried!”

            “Sorry, Mari. I kind of got stuck inside, but I’m fine. Promise.” His chest felt lighter for the first time in weeks. Ladybug had finally set him free. Free to turn the page on a new chapter in his love life, maybe one that included the girl in his arms.

            “So,” She smiled up at him. “I think we both deserve a treat after today. Wanna get some ice cream?”

            “Yes, definitely.” He sighed gratefully. _Any excuse to be with you._

            As she lead the way cheerfully, he couldn’t help catching her high spirits. For the first time since school ended he felt happy. Truly happy. No more Ladybug drama, just him and Marinette and a whole lot of possibility.

            “So,” She started as they sat together at the table, licking at their frozen custards. “How was your trip?”

            “Honestly?” He cocked a brow. “Terrible.”

            “What? Why?” She gasped.

            “Why? Well, I was terrified that you hated me, for starters, so I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I’m pretty sure all of my photos were garbage. Plus, I’m pretty sure the universe just had it out for me.”

            “Yeah, what happened to all of your phones?” She laughed.

            “Well, the first one, I was typing my millionth apology text to you, and I ran into a light on set and dropped it. Bonus, the light almost caught the set on fire.”

            “Nice,” She nodded approvingly at his clumsiness. “Did you really send me a million apologies?”

            “Well, I never _sent_ them…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I was too scared you didn’t want to be my friend anymore, so it was kind of a Schrödinger’s cat thing. If I didn’t send it then we were both friends and not friends, but if I did send it, I would have to find out which was true, and I was afraid that maybe you wouldn’t…Um…Ya know…I didn’t want our cat to be dead.”

            “Adrien…” Mari shook her head. “I’m really flattered that you tried to kiss me, and I hate that I messed everything up and made you feel like I didn’t like you.”

            “N-No, it’s fine. I did it to myself. I shouldn’t have- I-I didn’t know it was your first, otherwise I…you probably want it to be with someone you like and that’s perfectly fine!” He took a chunk of ice cream with his tongue to shut himself up, cheeks burning. Mari was quiet for a while, avoiding his gaze as she licked at the slowly melting streaks before they reached the cone. After a while, she mumbled something softly.

            “What?” He leaned closer, turning her cheeks pink.

            “I said, I wouldn’t mind if you were my first…” She repeated louder. A nervous lump wedged its way into his throat. Just like that, he entered the realm of kissing fantasies, and he wanted to be her first. She cleared her throat after a moment of his stunned staring. “So, you broke two more phones…”

            “Mari,” He glanced at her lips briefly then flicked his gaze back to her eyes.

            “How was New York?” She continued, shifting nervously.

            “Awful. I got food poisoning.” He answered, eyes trained on her. “Mari, do you…”

            “That sucks,” She chuckled awkwardly.

            “Like me?” She looked down at the table and shoved the last of her cone in her mouth, chewing it for a long time. “Mari.”

            “Hmm?” She swallowed hard.

            “Do you like me?” He repeated.

            “Of course I like you. We’re friends,” She said lamely.

            “No,” He gave her a look. “Do you like me? As in, if I kissed you right here, right now, would we walk out of here as more than friends?” His heart was pounding.

            “Are you going to kiss me?” She asked, rubbing her neck.

            “Only if you want me to,” He held up reassuring hands.

            “I don’t _not_ want you to,” She squirmed. He stood and moved around the table, placing his hands on her shoulders.

            “Can I kiss you?” She shrank under his touch. “If you don’t want to, say no, Mari. I won’t force you to have feelings for me.”

            “Not here,” She muttered quietly.

            “Then where do you want to go? It’s your kiss, we can go anywhere you want,” He caressed her cheek gently.

            He let her lead the way, following her like a lovesick puppy. His feelings were still fresh and sprouting, but they were growing quickly. Finally, he’d been able to uproot the last of his Ladybug garden and give Mari’s the attention it needed, and it was starting to flourish. He wanted to kiss her, to spend rainy afternoons cuddling on a couch watching movies together, to take her on dates and treat her like a princess. _His_ princess.

            She took him to the Trocadero esplanade as the last rays of daylight disappeared under the horizon, and the lights of the city and Eiffel Tower began to illuminate the area. A truly romantic setting for a girl’s first kiss, Adrien had to admit he preferred this spot to the cramped ferris wheel.

            “I come here a lot when I design. I call it my secret garden. I designed your hat on those steps.” She said, pointing.

            “It’s a nice spot.” He commended, wrapping an arm around her waist.

            “Mmhmm,” She looked down at their feet as he pulled her close, feeling how stiff her spine was.

            “Don’t be nervous. It’s just me,” He breathed softly, stroking her cheek. “Just close your eyes.”

            Slowly, her eyelids fluttered closed, her lips parting slightly as he leaned down. He could feel her heart pounding in her chest as he hugged her closer, her breaths shaky and ragged as his nose touched hers. This was happening. He was really going to kiss Mari, and then what?

            _She’ll fall for you, duh._

            As his lips brushed hers and started to press down, she turned her head and pushed back slightly. He could feel her hands shaking on his chest.

            “Sorry…” She sighed weakly before pulling away and pacing a few steps across the stone courtyard, covering her face with her hands. “I just…give me like two seconds.” She sat on the steps and buried her face in her lap, taking deep breaths.

            “It’s okay,” He laughed, lowering down beside her and rubbing her back. “Mari, if you don’t want to-”

            “It’s not that!” She groaned without looking up.

            “What are you afraid of?” He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her head against his chest.

            “I don’t know,” She sighed as he stroked her back with the tips of his fingers.

            “Is there…someone else you’d rather be here with than me?” He dared to ask. When she bit her lip without replying he felt his heart sink. “Who?”

            “No one,” She mumbled. So she loved someone else.

            _But they don’t love her back._

            True, she had mentioned that her feelings were one-sided. Still, if she had a chance to be with the one she loved, he didn’t want to stand in her way. After everything she’d done for him, he couldn’t be so selfish to her. Sure, he would give her the world if she asked for it because that’s how much he owed her, but she needed to be happy, and he would stop at nothing to help her get there.

            “Tell you what, I’ll tell you my secret if you promise to tell me his name. Or her name, I’m not trying to assume, uh, is it a guy?” She laughed at that and sat up.

            “Yeah, it’s a guy. I’m not refusing you because I’m into girls.”

            “Good,” He sighed with relief. “N-Not that if you were I’d have a problem with it or anything. It’s fine either way, um, I just…anyways…”

            “So your secret?” She cocked an intrigued brow, forgiving his fumblings.

“Right,” He took a deep breath before continuing, “the girl I dated…my ex…okay, don’t laugh!” He gave her a stern look.

“I won’t. I promise,” She chuckled. Adrien ran a hand through his hair nervously gathering his next words.

“It was Ladybug,” He said finally. Marinette’s eyes widened in surprise, and she turned to look at the advertising stand several feet away with a poster of the red-clad heroine. She pointed and looked back at him for confirmation. “Yep.”

“Why the hell are you kissing me then?” She gaped. “You dated Ladybu-”

“Shh, not so loud!” He cupped a hand over her mouth.

“Are you messing with me?” She pushed his hand away and looked him in the eye.

“No! Mari, I swear, I wouldn’t do that to you.” He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Look, you want the truth?” 

He unloaded everything, sparing no details. Well, maybe a couple…just one. He didn’t really want Mari to know how… _excited_  he got when Ladybug showed up at his house, but he felt sparing her that detail did them both a favor. 

“Wow,” Mari’s eyebrows raised when he finished. 

“Yeah…” He bit his lip and stared across the yard at passing people. 

“I’m sorry it didn’t work out,” She said, touching his arm gently. 

“It’s okay,” He shrugged. “We finally closed the door on it. It’s done. Over. And, truthfully, it was kind of too good to be true anyways. I never realized what I was ignoring being infatuated by her.” He looked down at Marinette longingly, her blue eyes sparkling in the city lights. How badly he wanted to kiss her, but he couldn’t, not while knowing she loved someone else.

“Well,” He cleared his throat, leaning back. “Your turn. Who’s the lucky guy?”

“Uhh…” She squeaked, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. “He’s, uh, well,” She stumbled, cheeks beet red. “You’re gonna laugh.”

“No, I won’t. Promise. You didn’t laugh at me, so I won’t laugh at you.” He put a hand over his heart, holding the other up earnestly.

“He’s…” She hesitated, sighing deeply. “Chat Noir.”

Oh, did he have a secret for her. 

“Wait, wait, you hate Chat Noir,” He teased, a satisfied grin creeping across his face.

“I keep telling you, I really don’t.” She rolled her eyes. He couldn’t help himself, he threw his head back, roaring with laughter. She punched his arm. “You said you wouldn’t laugh!”

“Sorry,” He snickered. “It’s just, you’re telling me, all of that anti-LadyNoir talk at school, all the ‘he’s a playboy’ nonsense, is because you’re _jealous_?”

“No!” She responded too quickly, so he erupted into another fit of laughter. It was the best news she could have given him.

“You’re in love with Chat Noir!” He repeated, grinning from ear to ear.

“Oh, like you’re one to talk, Mr. I-made-out-with-Ladybug.” She shot back, folding her arms over her chest. “Besides, I’m not lucky like you. He’s never going to like me back, so I’m never going to tell him.”

“Hey, you don’t know that,” He sobered, nudging her encouragingly. “You’re great, Marinette. You could turn his head if you tried.” _In fact, you already have…_

“Not all of us are front cover models, Adrien. Besides, he probably has a girlfriend.” She hugged her knees to her chest.

“He _really_ doesn’t,” Adrien smirked.

“How do you know?” She huffed.  
            “Gut feeling. It’s never wrong,” He replied definitively.

“Oh, like that gut feeling you had when you thought I hated you?” She teased, pinching his side.

“Okay, _usually_ never wrong,” He corrected.

“It’s not meant to be. I’ve accepted that. I don’t even really know him other than the few times he’s saved me.” Adrien felt immensely proud of his alter-ego’s charm. If Mari loved Chat, he could give her Chat, and eventually, he would tell her who he really was, and she’d be so happy that it was her best friend all along, and they would be together forever. He pictured the events in his head with a smile.

“Don’t close that door entirely. You never know how he might feel if he’s saving you all the time,” He offered slyly.

“I doubt it, but thanks for the vote of confidence,” She patted his cheek.

“Anytime,” He winked. “Though, I suppose, if your heart belongs to another man, it’s simply unjust of me to steal your first kiss from him.”

“Are you done with the theatrics? I’d like to go home and crawl into my corner of shame,” She stood up with a laugh.

“No shame. I mean, look who you’re talking to, Mr. ex-Ladybug over here, so don’t feel bad.” He wrapped an arm around her as they walked.

“Thanks,” She leaned her head against him, so he tightened his hold around her waist, enjoying how it felt to have her at his side. He doubted he’d keep his secret from her for long, particularly if she let him kiss her… Women’s lips had power over him, converting him into a puddle of mush.

“What are friends for, my dear?” He smiled weakly. Adrien didn’t compare to Chat Noir, not by a long shot, so, he supposed, if his only rival was himself, he was okay with it. Besides, she was about to get a visit from a certain cat looking to collect a debt someone owed him for saving her from a scary clown…

“Are you free tomorrow? Your dad promised me some gaming tips.” He asked once they’d reached her house.

“Sure! I’m sure he’d be happy to have you over.” She smiled. “Besides, you owe me the second half of your phone disaster story.”

“Deal,” He laughed. “See you tomorrow.”

As she disappeared inside, he headed up the street, hands in his pockets and a sly smile on his lips.

“See you in a minute.”

Marinette

Stupid, stupid, stupid! What was she thinking? Chat Noir? Out of every guy she knew, and she had to pick Chat Noir? Why couldn’t she have told him a fake name, and said he didn’t know him?

_It could have backfired if he asked to meet him._

Shut up, Marinette! Don’t add logic to this mess! Why? Why did she do that to herself? Why couldn’t she have just told him no? He would have accepted no.

_But he would have been sad._

Ugh! She couldn’t hurt him. Not any more than she already had. The whole situation was problematic, and Marinette didn’t know what to do about it. He liked her, didn’t he? It certainly seemed like he wanted the kiss to mean something, like he wanted them to become something more than what they were.

“You’ve got issues, you know that?” Tikki sighed as Marinette groaned into her pillow.

“What was I supposed to do? I panicked, alright? I can’t tell him I’m in love with him because I’m trying to get over him, and he’s not exactly making it easy. Chat Noir is a safe lie for now,” She rolled onto her back with a sigh, staring up at her ceiling.

Adrien had it easy. They’d only seen each other twice after the breakup when she was Ladybug, but she had to see him as Marinette all the time and watch him mope over their breakup all while pretending like she wasn’t hurting too, just to cheer him up! Well, she didn’t _have_ to, but her conscience wouldn’t allow her to leave him all heartbroken and depressed.

What she didn’t have to do was open her stupid mouth and say she liked Chat Noir! God, if he ever found out…Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. She could let her “feelings” fizzle out over the next few months and then tell him she moved on. It’s not like she ran into Chat outside of costume on a regular basis, and it’s not like he was going to start making house calls.

_Knock, knock._

“Please, God, if you are up there, let it be a polite balcony burglar,” She groaned unlatching the window and pushing it open, cursing herself for speaking too soon.

“Evening, princess.”

A stream of profanities flowed through her mind, most of them starting with ‘f’ and ending in ‘uck’ as a quiet groan sounded in her throat. Why did she have to jinx herself?

_Okay, innocent and non-assuming. Maybe a bit sassy depending on what he wants._

“Chat Noir?” She gasped. “What are you doing here? Is there trouble?”

“Not while I’m around, little lady. You’re safe,” He flexed his biceps, and it took every fiber of her being not to visibly gag. “I wanted to talk to you.”

“About what?” She asked as she took his outstretched hand and climbed up, shutting the window behind her.

“I’m here to collect for the amusement park. Any longer and you’ll start accruing interest,” He winked. She blinked slowly, putting on her best puzzled expression and tilting her head to the side.

“What do you mean? You want money?” She asked, hamming up her performance. To her amusement, he ate it up.

“No, no, money, little lady,” He smirked, leaning in closer. “What I want is a bit…sweeter.”

_Oh, boy._

“Cookies?” Her eyebrows furrowed.

“Don’t you remember? I asked you for a kiss,” He cupped her cheek, tilting her face up slightly. Alright, no more clueless Marinette.

“So, what? You’re just out making rounds to all of your damsels asking for a quick make out?” She cocked one hip to the side, folding her arms across her chest as she stared up at him challengingly. The change rattled him for a moment, but he adapted quickly.

“You really think I have a lot of ladies waiting around for me like I’m some heathen?” He looked offended at the thought.

“Yeah, basically,” She smirked making his tail flick back and forth in annoyance.

“I mean, I guess I should be flattered that you think I have mad game like that,” He considered, ears flattening against his head as he narrowed his eyes.

“You mean you don’t?” She chuckled.

“Of course I do!” He waggled his eyebrows. “But I’m actually a one-girl settle down kind of guy.”

“Oh, darn. I’ll have to reevaluate my priorities. All this time I was mentally preparing to be a side hoe.” She tapped her chin in faux-thought.

“Sorry to disappoint,” He smiled, catching on, and she couldn’t help but laugh. As repulsive as dating him sounded, she didn’t mind Chat’s company. He was goofy and charming when he wanted to be, and she appreciated his reliable partnership to her other self.

“Well, Mr. Noir, I have to warn you I haven’t brushed my teeth yet,” She pursed her lips to keep herself from grinning.

“I don’t mind,” He shrugged. “A kiss from your lovely lips is a treasure all by itself, minty fresh or not.”

“If you insist,” She sighed, stepping closer as he wrapped his arms around her as he’d done on numerous occasions to Ladybug. His touch didn’t send her into overdrive like Adrien did, but he was gentle enough as he leaned down, eyelids drooping as he closed the distance between their lips expectantly. She smirked as his eyes closed, and she pushed his chin aside, planting a kiss on his cheek quickly before stepping back with a giggle.

“Hey!” He protested, touching the spot softly.

“Well, you never said it had to be on the lips, kitty cat,” She teased, casting him a smug side-smile. His eyes softened in a way she’d only seen once before, and instead of arguing he simply bowed.

“Fair enough,” He conceded. “I accept your payment; your debt is repaid, but in the future, I’ll be making my prices _very_ specific.” He winked.

“I’ll be sure to stay out of trouble then,” She tapped his nose then clasped her hands together behind her back.

“Well, if you don’t, I’ll always be there to protect you, princess. No matter what,” He murmured, taking a hand and kissing it, those green eyes never leaving hers. She felt her cheeks flushing as he straightened and reached for his staff.

“Good night, Chat,” She smiled, brushing his wild mane away from his face. He leaned into her touch, resting his cheek in her hand as he gazed adoringly at her.

“Sweet dreams, princess.” He breathed before hopping over the edge of her balcony and disappearing into the night, leaving Marinette alone on her balcony clutching her chest where her heart pounded wildly.

“Tikki, I think I’m in trouble,” She mumbled as her kwami companion flew into view.

“Girl, you need to control that heart of yours.” Tikki shook her head with an exasperated sigh.

“I’m not _in love_ with him. The thought of kissing him still makes me nauseous, but, I dunno, that was…sweet.”

Oh no.

 

* * *

 

Author's Notes:

BEHOLD THE ANGST AND FLUFF

I've been called a cock-tease on occasion and this is probably why. Eh, I like watching the world burn XD

Now Adrien has met Master Fu so things can get interesting

Alas, Ladrien is done for this part of the fic. In part two all of the ships kinda mesh together cause reveals happen, so enjoy the pre-reveal pureness of the ships while they last.

You guys are over halfway done with part one now!

I posted some answers to some questions I've gotten in comments on my tumblr, so follow me for fic-related stuff and general trash @MightyMunchlax

See you guys in a week! Let me know what you think, and if you haven't already ready Marinette's Secret feel free to pop over and read it. I might be posting another drabble later this week. It might be a kwami swap au. 

 


	8. Birthday Gifts and Unrequited Love

Chapter Eight

            “What are you looking for?” Plagg eyed his chosen with a bored expression as Adrien dug through his school bag. “You do know it is summer, right?”

            “Found you!” Adrien smiled, pulling out a small pink lanyard and kissing it.

            “All that rummaging for that?” The small cat grunted. “And here I thought you had some camembert down in there.”

            “You just ate,” Adrien reminded him as he looped the small charm through his phone’s key chain slot.

            “I know, but I can still hope,” He mumbled sourly. “What is that anyways?”

            “Marinette gave it to me when we were practicing for the gaming tournament. I forgot I even still had it.” He touched it thoughtfully.

            “So?” Plagg cocked an uninterested brow.

            “So, it’s her good luck charm, and she’s my good luck charm, so I want to keep it with me for when I’m not with her.” He explained.

            “You made up with Ladybug, so you shouldn’t need a good luck charm anymore,” Plagg tilted his head in confusion.

            “You can never be too cautious. Besides, it’s hers, and it’s like I always have her with me,” He blushed.

            “All of your sweet talk makes me nauseous.” His kwami gagged, floating off lazily.

            “Having to smell Camembert all the time makes me nauseous, so I think we’re even,” Adrien shot back. His phone buzzed in his hand, a video call from Nino.

            “Hey, dude, what’s up?” He answered. Nino looked bored, and judging from the noise in the background, Adrien deduced he was in a store.

            “Alya, dragged me out for some last minute birthday shopping for Marinette,” He sighed. “What’d you get her? Cause I have no ideas…” Adrien’s eyes widened in horror. Marinette hadn’t told him her birthday was coming up!

            “Uh, when exactly is her birthday again?” He asked guiltily.

            “Tomorrow…” Adrien winced, and Nino laughed in disbelief. “Bro, don’t tell me you forgot.”

            “Well, I’ve been gone, and we haven’t talked since the amusement park until a few days ago, and she never mentioned it!” He ran a hand through his hair, pacing back and forth across the floor of his bedroom.

            “Ugh, that is so like her,” Alya piped in from the background. “She’s very cryptic about presents because she doesn’t like it when people buy her things. She probably didn’t mention it because she doesn’t want you to fuss over a gift.”

            “What should I do?” He asked, sitting on his bed. “What does she like?”

            “Look, Mari might not give specifics, but she will like almost anything you get her. She’ll love anything you see that reminds you of her, even if it’s just a bar of candy.” Alya reassured him.

            “Yeah, trust me, dude, Mari will be happy you even thought to get her something.” Nino added with a laugh.

            “Thanks,” He sighed. “Guess I’m going shopping.”

            “Good luck!” His friends waved sympathetically before he hung up.

            “Plagg! We’re going out,” He called.

            “Can we pick up some Camembert?” The black sprite asked excitedly, rushing over.

            “Yes,” Adrien rolled his eyes. “But only if you help me pick out a present.”

            “Just get her some Camembert,” Plagg insisted as Adrien gathered his things.

            “I don’t know much about girls, but I’m pretty sure she won’t want that,” Adrien replied, hopping down the stairs.

            “Fine, get Swiss then,” Plagg shrugged, missing the point.

            “Never mind,” Adrien sighed, shoving him back into his shirt.

            How could Marinette not tell him her birthday was tomorrow? True, her mind might have been a little occupied considering everything that happened, but people don’t just forget their birthdays. He wasn’t going to give in to her aversion to gifts because she’d been an amazing friend to him as of late, and he recently entered the business of winning her affections. His gift had to be perfect.

            What did girls like? Flowers and jewelry and chocolate, but what kind of flowers did she like? Would it be weird for him to buy her jewelry? Too forward? Maybe for Adrien, but Chat Noir…

            A smile stretched across his face as a plan formed in his mind. The birthday girl was going to get a surprise visit from her favorite superhero.

Marinette

            “What are you making?” Tikki asked that evening, watching while Marinette worked on her sewing machine.

            “My Halloween costume,” Mari replied without looking up.

            “Isn’t it a little early for that?” Tikki gave her a puzzled look.

            “I want to get it done before school starts while I have free time to spare,” She explained before a knock at her window startled her out of focus. “Hide, Tikki!” She gasped, heart accelerating.

            Waiting for her outside was the problem she was trying to distract herself from. He was wearing that stupid boyish grin of his, balancing on his staff expertly while he waited for her to open the window. Starting her costume early was a method of keeping her mind occupied so she didn’t have to deal with thoughts of Adrien or Chat Noir because honestly, she wasn’t sure how she felt about either of them.

            “What brings you here?” She asked, cocking a brow.

            “I heard through the grapevine that a certain _purr_ incess has a birthday tomorrow,” He leaned against the frame with a sly smile.

            “Who told you?” Her eyes narrowed.

            “I’m afraid that’s classified,” He teased. “So, do you want your present?”

            “No.” She moved to shut the window, but Chat reached in to stop her.

            “Oh, c’mon! Please? What kind of person doesn’t want presents on their birthday?” He chided.

            “I don’t like when people buy me things,” She folded her arms over her chest and looked away stubbornly.

            “This didn’t cost me a dime,” He swore, crossing his heart with his finger. He extended a hand to her, and after a moment of apprehensive hesitation, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to snatch her from the window, launching off into the rooftops of Paris. “Hang on!” He laughed.

            “Chat! Where are we going?” She cried out, clinging to him. Without her suit she felt too vulnerable as he vaulted them through the city.

            “You’ll see!” He called back.

            Finally his staff stuck on a rooftop and began to shrink, lowering them down safely. The wind whipped against her clothing from that height, and she clung to him for fear of blowing over.

            “Scared of heights?” He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her securely.

            “Scared of falling,” She whimpered. He pulled her closer, fastening his staff to the back of his belt and wrapping his other arm around her.

            “I won’t let you fall,” He promised, his soft green eyes increasing her pulse.

            “Where are we?” She blushed, shifting her gaze to look around the roof.

            “My favorite spot in Paris,” He smiled, leading her a few steps to the right to look over the edge at the dazzling city below.

            Marinette felt her breath catch as they looked out over the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. Of course, they’d passed them before on their patrols and even battled a few akumas there, but it was rare that they got a moment to stop and admire the sights.

            “It’s beautiful,” She breathed.

            “I thought you might like it,” He smiled.

            “I guess, I’ll accept your gift since it didn’t cost you,” She sighed dramatically, casting him a sideways smirk.

            “ _Purr_ fect,” He hummed, leaning his head against hers.

            “Can I make a birthday request?”

            “A _mew_ thing you want,” He waggled his eyebrows, immensely proud of his sense of humor.

            “No cat puns,” She said, biting back a smile as his eyes widened in protest.

            “Me-owch, princess!”

            “Chat.” She cocked a warning brow.

            “Fine,” He sighed, leaning against his fist sourly. “I’ll just be boring then.”

            “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with silence, you know. You could just enjoy the view,” She teased, cocking her hip to the side.

            “I am enjoying the view,” His tone was soft and sincere, eyes trained on her as her face warmed under her blush.

            She turned back to look out over the gardens while her heart pounded wildly in her chest, attempting in vain to swallow the cotton-like dryness in her mouth. When did Chat Noir get so… _charming_? Part of her knew she might feel differently about Chat if it weren’t for Adrien, but she had always refused to think about him that way and why? Why had she always overlooked him? Because he was goofy and carefree? No, more like out of her own stubbornness.

            Maybe these feelings had been hiding down inside her all along, and she just refused to let them surface. All that time painting Chat as some annoying womanizer when he really was sweet and sincere. More cuddly kitten than promiscuous tomcat.

            He was her partner, and she knew better than to fall for him, and it’s not like she _was_ falling for him, or rather, she didn’t _think_ she was falling for him, but one thing was certain, she was beginning to see Chat as he truly was instead of slapping a predefining image over him and denying any notable character underneath. And to her horror, she found that she did like him, maybe not in the same way she liked Adrien, but _something_ was there.

            “When is your birthday?” She asked out of the blue.

            “Mmm, I’d tell you, but then you might figure out my secret,” He winked.

            “Fair enough,” She mused, pursing her lips. “Well, I guess there’s no way to give you a return gift then.”

            His ears twitched in interest as one of his impish smiles crept across his face.

            “Oh? I thought you didn’t like gifts,” He smarmed.

            “I don’t like getting gifts. I never said I don’t give them,” She corrected. “I guess…I like making people happy. I’ve always been told it’s better to give than to receive.”

            “But you don’t want others to do the same for you?” He cocked a confused brow, raising his mask to one side.

            “It’s not that, I just…I-I don’t want people to go out of their way for me. My best friend probably has some elaborate scheme planned for tomorrow, and I appreciate it, but sometimes just being there is enough for me.” She fiddled with her pigtail. “I guess I’m just weird.”

            “You’re too nice,” He laughed. “You’ll give all of yourself freely and ask for nothing in return.”

            “Isn’t that how we should be?” She glanced up at him. He mulled it over for a minute.

            “In a perfect world,” He said finally. “But for now it just makes you special.”

            “Thanks,” She smiled shyly, lacing her fingers together.

            “November,” He answered. “My birthday is in November.” Glancing back up at him, a playful grin stretched across her face.

            “You seem more summery to me, but then again I don’t really know who you are under all of… _this_ ,” She gestured to his suit.

            “I’m not so brash, if you can believe it,” He admitted with a shrug.

            “I _don’t_ believe that,” Her eyes narrowed in faux skepticism.

            “It’s the truth.”

            “Then why all the…enthusiasm?”

            He paced across the roof, hands clasped behind his back in thought as he weighed the question.

            “When you have a life like mine…You take any opening for fun you can find.” He replied simply. “But I’ll save you the Chat Noir sob story. It’s your birthday, we should be celebrating.”

            “Is your life hard?” She dared to ask quietly. He froze, eyes trained on the ground as his fingers drummed on his fist.

            “Others have it worse,” He murmured.

            “That doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to have problems.”

            “I know,” He turned to face her again, that boyish smile returning. “But no pathetic life stories tonight.” He tapped her nose. “I should get you home, little lady, so you can get your beauty sleep, not that you need it.”

            “You’re full of it,” She rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck.

            The return trip was much smoother than the first because she was more prepared for it this time. Once he set her back safely on her terrace, he smiled smugly.

            “What?” She felt a bit self-conscious.

            “I have another present for you.” He beamed.

            “Chat,” She folded her arms with an exasperated sigh.

            “Close your eyes.”

            “No.”

            “Please?” He pouted.

            She sighed once more, hesitating briefly before doing as she was asked. Her spine stiffened as she felt his lips press softly to hers as he slipped a small ring onto her right hand. The kiss was soft and short, and when she opened her eyes, she found his staring deeply into hers.

            “Happy Birthday, Marinette,” He breathed softly before leaping over the edge of the terrace.

            Face burning, she glanced down at her hand where a diamond ring with tiny cat ears on the top rested. She was going to kill him.

            “Did Chat Noir give you that?” Tikki asked, fazing through the skylight to rejoin her master, having been left behind.

            “Yeah, and that’s not the only thing…” She answered, touching her lips thoughtfully. As the reality of the situation sank in, a groan rose from her throat. “Both of my first kisses were with Chat Noir!”

            “You can’t catch a break, can you?” Tikki giggled as Marinette climbed down onto her bed.

            “I guess not, and what’s up with this ring? Do you think it’s real? It must have been expensive,” She stared down at the diamond on her right ring finger.

            “You don’t really know anything about Chat Noir’s personal life,” Tikki pointed out, giving the rock a look over. “Maybe he has a lot of money.”

            “Maybe…But what does it mean? Is this his way of asking me out? Or if he has a lot of money, maybe he doesn’t think anything of it…but that kiss- Ugh!” She fell back against her pillows with a groan. “What if I am starting to like him?”

            “You’ve already turned him down once as Ladybug, you know,” Tikki plopped down beside her.

            “I know, and I don’t want to get distracted on missions, but if it were Chat, he can take care of himself…mostly.”

            Great, now she was rationalizing.

            “Ugh, what am I saying?” She covered her face with her hands. “Is this a Miraculous thing? Are these earrings playing tricks on me?”

            “A lot of Chat Noirs and Ladybugs have fallen in love in the past. Sometimes mutually, sometimes not, but the Miraculous chooses its wielder in most cases, so maybe you possess certain qualities that are compatible with him.” Tikki explained. “After all, you two have been a great team even from the very beginning.”

            “Maybe…I’ve never denied that Chat Noir was important to me as a partner because he is, but I-I guess I never saw him as anything more because I didn’t think he was really in love with me.” She hugged her knees to her chest. “That night that he confessed, I got so annoyed, but it wasn’t at him, well, maybe a little at him, but it was mostly at myself for never realizing, and it showed me that I do care about him.”

            “It’s okay to love him if that’s how you feel, Marinette,” Tikki said pointedly.

            “I don’t know what I feel right now,” She eyed the ring with a conflicted frown.

            “He hasn’t confessed to Marinette, so you have time to sort it out,” Tikki suggested.

            “I know, it just seems wrong to reject him as Ladybug then to turn around and go after him as Marinette,” She rolled onto her side with a groan and toyed at the gem on her finger for a moment before clicking off her light. She said a quiet goodnight to her kwami and spent a long time staring at the ring in the moonlight trickling in from her skylight.

            How did she feel about him? And how did she feel about Adrien? Deep down she knew she wasn’t over him entirely, even if she wanted to be, but Chat Noir didn’t seem like the right person to move on with, not after she’d turned him down. Because if she told him who she was would he hate her? In a way, he was in the same boat as Adrien as she’d shot any chances of being with either of them as Ladybug. Her love life was a vicious circle, and she was getting dizzy. Why did everything in her life have to be so complicated?

            “Stupid cat,” She sighed, pulling her blanket over her face and willing sleep to take over so she didn’t have to think anymore.

Adrien

            Adrien sat on the couch in Marinette’s living room sandwiched between Nino, who held Alya’s hand on his other side, and Juleka, who was chatting with Rose on her other side. Awkwardly, he drummed on his lap while they waited for the birthday girl to make her appearance. A lot of kids from their class were there, filling the cozy room with chatter while Tom cranked out their famous croissants for breakfast. He contemplated offering to help, but it would probably only slow him down, so instead he sat on the couch, occasionally mingling with a classmate here and there just… _waiting_.

            It wasn’t that he didn’t want to interact with everyone, since he hadn’t seen most of them for a month, but more so that he wanted to see Marinette. Wanted to see her reaction to his other self’s gift. Would she be wearing it? Did she like it? Was she okay with the kiss?

            Adrien felt his face heat up, and a small smile formed over his lips. Kissing Marinette was different than kissing Ladybug. She was…softer, sweeter almost. Arguably, he had more experience kissing Ladybug as he had only kissed Marinette for maybe two seconds in comparison to all the time he’d spent kissing Ladybug in his room, so he couldn’t quite compare them, but kissing Mari felt right. Kissing her felt safe, and that’s how he knew his feelings were different.

            Ladybug was passion and fire. Exciting and enchanting. Sexy, but also beautiful and poised. His love for her had burned hot and wild. Their life was full of magic and adventure and he lived for the high. But the raging fire burned too hot, and he’d let himself get consumed by it. It was no surprise that their light fizzled out just as quickly as it had started.

            Meanwhile, Marinettte was tender and warm. Caring and secure. Her beauty was more innocent and angelic. For him, Marinette was like sunlight, bright and warm, filling him with life. His love for her was like the slow burning embers that continued to keep you warm after the fire died out. Warm. Safe.

            At the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs everyone scrambled around the door, and Tom lit the candle on top of the artfully crafted cake. Within seconds, the door opened, and everyone started singing as Marinette entered with her mother close behind, holding a bag from the fabric store.

            “Guys!” Marinette squeaked, covering her face with her hands modestly. As the song finished, Tom presented the cake, and after a moment of thought, she blew out the candle.

            “Happy Birthday!” Everyone cheered, and Marinette covered her mouth, cheeks flushed. Adrien’s eyes fixed on the small ring around her finger, a small smile on his lips.

            “Thank you!” She giggled.

            “Alright, everyone, there are plenty of croissants to go around, and I can cut the cake-” Tom continued, steering everyone to the kitchen, but Adrien’s eyes never left her. She was wearing his ring!

            “You okay, dude?” Nino asked, snapping him back to reality.

            “Uhh, y-yeah,” He stammered nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

            “Did you ever find her a present?” Nino whispered, glancing at Mari who was chatting with Alya and Mylene over their breakfast.

            “I put something together that I think she’ll like,” He replied.

            “Alya has the rest of the day mapped out after the party. Lots of girl stuff like manicures and whatever for just the two of them.” Nino rolled his eyes. “We need some bro time. Wanna come over and play Zombie Hunt?”

            It had been some time since they’d gotten to hang out as they’d each been spending time with their respective women of interest, so Adrien shouldn’t have felt disappointed that he couldn’t be with Marinette.

And yet he did.

He wanted to know what she thought about the ring and about him. About the kiss. But he knew better than to come between Alya and Marinette, especially when Alya made special plans. Maybe some guy time was in order.

            “Sure,” He smiled. “You can tell me all about your relationship with Alya.”

            At that Nino blushed. His friend was so transparent when it came to girls, and it was easy to embarrass him.

            “And you can tell me about what’s been up with you and Marinette,” His friend shot back.

            “Fair enough,” Adrien laughed as they immersed themselves back into the crowd.

            Despite his best efforts not to, Adrien couldn’t help but stare at Marinette and the ring. Each time it flashed, he felt his heart skip a beat, and he remembered the night before. The way it felt to hold her in his arms. The way her lips felt for that brief, beautiful moment. The way his heart pounded all night thinking about it. Marinette truly had him smitten.

            “I see that smile,” Alya’s voice teased in his ear, startling him. “You two have been mighty cozy lately.”

            “A-Alya, hey, uh, we’re just friends, really.” He held up insistent hands, but she wasn’t having it.

“Don’t give me that, Agreste. You two are totally in love,” She cocked a hip to the side, a smirk spreading across her lips.

“N-Not at all. Mari isn’t into me. She has someone else she likes,” He felt the temperature in the room rising.

“Oh really? Did she tell you that?” The girl scoffed.

“Yeah…”

“Did she say who?”

“Yeah?” He squirmed uncomfortably under her sharp gaze.

“Well?” She cocked a brow.

“Sh-She hasn’t told you?”

“No, I know exactly who she likes.”

“So, why exactly are we having this conversation?” He attempted to step around her, but she followed his movement, cutting him off.

“Because I’m curious about what she told you.” She replied.

“It’s no one,” He blushed, but Alya’s eyes narrowed into a glare.

“Spill it, Agreste.” She folded her arms over her chest stubbornly. Adrien bit his lip, contemplating it for a moment before he leaned in closer. 

“She told me she’s in love with Chat Noir,” He said in a hushed tone, nearly jumping out of his skin as Alya threw her head back and laughed. Adrien felt his face heating up even more as several nearby classmates turned to look at them.

“Good one, Agreste,” She slapped his shoulder then sobered. “But seriously, she’s lying to one of us, and I’m willing to bet my life it’s not me.”

“Wh-What?” He felt his jaw drop slightly. “But you said you know who she likes!”

“I do, and it’s not Chat Noir,” She chuckled.

“Then who is it?” His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Why hadn’t she told him the truth? If she didn’t really like Chat Noir that was problematic for him.

“Hey, guys, what are you talking about?” Marinette interrupted, giving Alya a knowing and stern look.

“Nothing,” Adrien and Alya said together, Adrien with a short, nervous stammer, and Alya with a stretched and playful lilt. Marinette pursed her lips and shifted her gaze between them suspiciously.

“Alright, Mari, why don’t we open presents?” Sabine called as she opened her mouth to say something. Marinette sighed and turned away reluctantly, taking her spot on the couch as everyone crowded around her with their gifts.

Adrien felt his phone buzz in his pocket, and Alya gave him a purposeful nod. He glanced at Marinette, preoccupied with Juleka and Rose’s gift, before he pulled it out and checked the message, heart pounding wildly.

_You, dumbo!_

His eyes widened, and his gaze flicked back up to Alya.

“Me?” He mouthed in disbelief, and Alya’s face fell into her palm.

 _How long?_ He sent back.

_Like since the second day of school…_

_What?! Really???_

_Seriously? The girl couldn’t get two words out around you without getting flustered and you never even considered that she might have a crush on you?_

He immediately felt a twinge of guilt. The whole time she was in love with him? He glanced back up at her, cheeks scarlet. Alya was right, he was stupid and blind. Incredibly blind.

_I always thought she was shy or that she didn’t like me that much! :(_

_Dude, the girl had it bad for you_

_Had??_

_Yeah, she got it in her brain recently that she didn’t stand a chance, so she’s been trying to give you up_

_So, wait…she doesn’t love me anymore?_

Waiting for her next reply was agony. Especially when she got into the fray when it was her turn to give her gift. He clutched his phone anxiously before tucking it back into his pants and pulling his present from his shirt pocket.

“Oh, this will be good. Bet he got her a sports car…or a limo!” Kim grinned, elbowing Max. Marinette made a face as he approached and sat beside her, handing off the small rectangular gift box.

“Y-You didn’t have to…” She mumbled, untying the ribbon reluctantly.

“It’s not much,” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“Is it jewelry?” Alya asked, waggling her eyebrows at him.

Marinette lifted the lid on the small golden box, taking the object inside with a curious expression.

“A lanyard?” Kim scoffed. “C’mon, Adrien!”

Nino gave him a similar puzzled expression until Mari read the text on the laminated card attached to the end.

“Seriously?” Her eyes lit up with excitement.

“Yep,” He nodded, and she screamed.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She hugged his neck tightly, squealing giddily.

“What is it?” Alya asked.

“A VIP pass to Gabriel’s fashion show tomorrow!” Mari bounced excitedly. Kim groaned.

“The dude didn’t spend a dime, and he got her the best present.” He rolled his eyes, but everyone crowded around to see, all chattering animatedly about how amazing it was. Nino extended a fist with a nod of approval.

“Nailed it,” He laughed. Adrien shrugged.

“Alya told me you don’t like it when people spend money on you, and I know you really idolize my dad…”

“It’s perfect! Thank you,” She smiled warmly, hugging his neck again.

“Happy Birthday,” He laughed. Alya met his gaze over Mari’s shoulder and shook her head before typing a quick message on her phone.

“Hey, Rose, will you take a picture of me and Mari?” Alya asked, pulling Marinette away with a wink to him. He pulled out his phone quickly while Alya had her distracted.

_Definitely not over you._

Adrien’s face lit up. He had a chance! An even better chance than if she liked Chat Noir.

_Ask her out! :P_

He wasn’t quite sure how she responded given her current position, posing with Marinette for a picture, but he’d learned from seeing her Ladyblog posts not to question her methods. He glanced at where she and Mari were smiling together and blushed.

“I can’t,” He mouthed, and she rolled her eyes, quickly occupying Marinette with something else while she typed.

 _No way! Marinette has flaked so many times on this. Ask. Her. Out_.

Upon seeing his mortified expression, she sighed and added: _I’ll talk to her, but so help me if you two come back from that fashion show tomorrow as just friends after spending the whole day together, I’m coming after your chicken ass and whopping it_.

And Adrien believed her.

Soon the party died down, and he found himself in the company of only Alya, Nino, and Marinette as more guests took their leave. She was chatting contently with Alya on the couch while he and Nino sat at the table.

“Alya told me everything,” His friend muttered quietly with a giddy grin. “You really gonna ask Marinette out?”

“Maybe,” He winced, lacing and unlacing his fingers nervously.

“Nah, bro, you pushed me into asking Mari out a while back, so it’s payback time. I’m totally with Alya. I’ll help her whoop your ass if you chicken out,” Nino laughed.

“Thanks,” He rolled his eyes.

“Don’t you want to be with her?”

“Well, yeah, but I-I guess, I like the way things are right now, what we have…I’d hate to lose that.”

“If you two were dating, wouldn’t that only bring you closer?” His friend’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

“For a while, but what if…what if I screw up, or what if she decides she doesn’t like me anymore, or-” Nino shook his head.

“You’re worrying too much about stuff that may or may not happen,” He chided. “Look, Alya and I aren’t perfect. We fight all the time, we fought on the way over here, but did we let it stop us? No. If you and Mari get together, you’ll probably have hard times too, but if you two really love each other, you’ll get through it, bro.” He patted Adrien’s shoulder encouragingly. When did Nino get so wise? Adrien wondered.

“Whoa, hold up! Where’d you get this?” Alya ogled over the ring on Mari’s finger. His ring.

“Uhh,” Mari’s face flushed.

“Whoa, it’s huge! Is it real?” Nino crossed the room to get a closer look.

“I-I dunno,” She stammered. Perhaps getting her a flashy piece of jewelry wasn’t the best idea. It’s not like she could tell them who actually gave it to her. Alya would eat her for lunch if she found out Chat Noir was paying her visits and bringing jewelry. Especially since she was so gung ho about her being with him.

“Was it a birthday gift?” Alya asked, holding it closer to examine it better.

“Y-Yeah.”

“From who?” Nino grunted. As Marinette fished for a reply, he stepped in.

“Uh…me,” He interjected, all eyes snapping to him. “I gave it to her yesterday. Right, Mari?”

“Uhh, yeah…” She nodded, catching on. “He likes to make fun of me because I bad mouthed Chat Noir _one_ time.”

“That’s a mighty big rock, Agreste,” Alya smiled up at him smugly. “You sure you two are just friends?” Mari’s face turned beet red.

“I-It was just a gag gift. It’s not even real,” He explained nervously. Except it wasn’t and it was.

“Looks pretty real to me,” Alya hummed mischievously.

At the sound of the doorbell, Marinette ripped her hand away and moved to answer it, casting him a grateful smile as she passed, though he planned to hound her about it later.

“You came!” She gasped excitedly to the person behind the door. As they stepped into a friendly embrace, the other three caught sight of Lila, and Alya folded her arms over her chest.

“Still don’t like her,” She whispered, and Nino rolled his eyes, pinching her side.

“She is Mari’s friend too, ya know,” He said pointedly, but Alya sulked even further.

“Don’t remind me.”

“I-I don’t want to keep you, so I’ll see you later,” Lila was saying as they turned their attention back to the door. She eyed them over Marinette’s shoulder, obviously catching on that she wasn’t welcome.

“Let’s hang out next week. I hear the Louvre is doing a special exhibit.” Mari grinned cheerfully. Lila turned her attention back to the girl in front of her and nodded curtly.

“Happy Birthday, Mari,” She mumbled, placing a small gift in her hands and hugging her once more briefly before turning and racing down the stairs. Mari shut the door and made her way back over to them, tugging off the wrapping paper on the box.

“Aww,” She smiled at the small charm bracelet in the box. “It’s so pretty.”

Alya rolled her eyes, and Nino elbowed her with a terse frown.

“Here, let me help,” He offered as she struggled to link it around her wrist. He fastened the latch for her before taking her hand gently.

“Thanks,” She blushed as he touched her wrist softly with his other hand, examining one of the small charms.

“So, Mari, are you ready to go?” Alya stood up. “Wouldn’t want to miss our appointment at the spa.”

“Uh, yeah,” She nodded. “I just have to go grab some stuff from my room.”

“I’ll meet you downstairs,” Her friend offered, grabbing Nino’s wrist and pulling him along with her, leaving Adrien and Mari alone. After a moment, he realized he was still holding her hand and let her go abruptly, clasping his hands together in front of him.

“Thanks for the save,” She sighed finally.

“Let me guess, your dashing superhero boyfriend got it for you?” He cocked a playful brow.

“I don’t even know how he found out it was my birthday,” She huffed, examining the ring thoughtfully. “And he’s not my boyfriend!”

“Not yet,” Adrien winked. “And I’m sure he has his methods.” He took her hand once more to admire the carefully crafted ring he’d had specially made the day before.

“I wonder how much it cost,” She commented.

“Mmm, a diamond that size, not to mention the custom band…I’d say close to 2000 euros,” He clicked his tongue. It was actually slightly more than that, but her aversion to money spent on her made him under sell it just slightly. Though, it didn’t make a difference to his wallet either way. He’d buy her the world if she asked for it.

“Ugh, I’m gonna kill him!” She growled.

“Why?” He laughed.

“Because! It’s too much…”

“2000 isn’t that much.”

“It is for normal people, Adrien. I feel bad accepting it,” She shrank guiltily.

“If he got it for you, obviously he can afford it. Don’t feel bad,” He shrugged. “I only know from my personal perspective, but if I bought a girl a fancy ring like that it would mean that she’s special to me, and I’d want her to think of me whenever she wore it.”

“Do you think that’s what he meant?” She blushed.

“Did he say anything when he gave it to you?” Her face reddened even further, and a smirk spread across his face. “Or was there a lack of conversation?”

“For like two seconds!” She admitted quietly. He laughed loudly.

“How was it? Perfect first kiss? Good, bad, disappointing? Any swooning?” He prompted, but Mari rolled her eyes.

“It was…fine,” She shrugged.

“Ouch.”

“What?”

“Fine? Women only say that when things aren’t fine.”

“Why does it matter to you if it was a little lackluster?” She snapped. “It’s not like it was your first kiss.”

 _Dammit!_ She didn’t like it? Was he a bad kisser? Ladybug never complained…Of course, if Alya was right, Mari wasn’t actually interested in Chat Noir, but then why did she turn him away when Adrien tried to kiss her? Should he try again? Being rejected two times was enough evidence for him that she wasn’t interested in kissing him, but if she loved him was she just chickening out? Would it be different now that it wasn’t her first? Should he kiss her tomorrow? He felt dizzy with confusion.

“Sorry….I just want you to be happy,” He winced. _Happy with me_. She stared at the ground sadly.

“No, I’m just…confused, and it’s frustrating. I didn’t mean to…I’m sorry.”

“I-I was sticking my nose where it didn’t belong. It’s really none of my business!” Mari shook her head and stepped into his arms, leaning her head against his chest. He hoped she didn’t notice how his heart rate increased at her touch.

“Sorry you first kiss sucked,” At that she laughed.

“It wasn’t so bad, just…unexpected and short. I mean, I didn’t even really kiss him back, I was so caught off guard,” She explained, biting her lip.

“Well, next time you see him, you should demand the kiss you deserve.” He placed his hands on her shoulders.

“You are such shipping trash,” She teased.

“Guilty,” He shrugged. “I just want my best friend to be with the person she loves.”

At that they both blushed. Sure, he thought of her as his best friend, but he’d never said it out loud. He searched her expression, worried that he was being too forward or reading too deeply into their relationship.

“Well, if my best friend ever finds another girl he likes, he can count on me to be just as supportive.” She smiled and shoved his shoulder.

“Thanks,” His gaze dropped to his shoes. He could tell her how he felt right there, but Alya and Nino were waiting downstairs. Besides, he wanted the moment to be just right.

“See you tomorrow?” He cocked a brow.

“Absolutely! I can’t wait,” She bounced excitedly.

“I’m glad. You’re a great friend, and I want to support you in any way that I can.” He blushed. Marinette smiled warmly.

“I feel the same way about you,” The two exchanged affectionate gazes for a moment before Mari turned and headed up to her room, and Adrien headed out the door.

“So?” Alya and Nino grinned up at him as he descended the stairs.

“So?” He rolled his eyes.

“Did you ask her?” Alya demanded.

“No…”

“Ugh!” She threw her head back with an annoyed groan.

“I want to wait for the right moment,” He explained.

“Fine,” Alya folded her arms over her chest.

Mari’s footsteps pounded above them and after a second she skipped down the stairs cheerfully.

“Shall we go?” She asked Alya once she reached the bottom.

“Yep,” She grinned as Mari opened the door, and they all stepped outside. She turned to Nino and stretched up to give him a goodbye peck on the lips. “See you later.” They touched noses briefly before parting ways.

“That’s adorable,” Adrien teased as they headed up the street toward Nino’s house.

“Mock all you want, bro, but soon enough that’s gonna be you and Marinette,” His friend shot back with a laugh.

“Hopefully. If she says yes.”

“She’s gonna say yes. Marinette adores you.”

“I guess…” He felt his face heat up as they walked, and he found himself feeling anxious about the next day.

Alya was right. They would be together for a long time. Alone. Well, sure, they would be in a room full of models and photographers and designers, but for all intents and purposes, it would just be the two of them.

Thinking about asking Marinette to be his girlfriend made his heart pound harder. How hypocritical he must seem, encouraging Nino to chase girls as if he had any experience. Sure, he’d studied all of the cliché romance tropes in movies, but would he be able to keep his cool? Ladybug’s sudden rejection made him more aware of how he felt, and also more aware of the possibility of rejection, and he wasn’t sure he could handle that pain again. Not if it came from Marinette. Of course, at worst she’d reject him politely, but would their relationship be weird after that? His mind swirled with questions for the remainder of the day, plaguing him with worry and apprehension.

His stomach formed knots as he laid in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling. He’d give anything to be with Marinette. She was so kind and sincere, and he wanted to return all of the kindness she’d shown him. He wanted to shower her with affection and make her feel loved and appreciated just like she made him feel. But in the back of his mind, he still feared that if he took the leap that she wouldn’t be there to catch him.

 _Suck it up, Agreste!_ But what if- _No_. Everything would work out. Marinette was one of his very best friends, and she liked him. Probably. Hopefully.

As Gorilla drove him to the bakery the next day, Adrien’s nerves were raging up a storm, and he felt like he was being blown away. Taking deep breaths, he tried, in vain, to calm himself. It was only Mari, he told himself, but somehow that sentiment didn’t ease his anxiety.

“Afternoon, Adrien,” Tom and Sabine greeted as he entered, and he returned the greeting politely.

“Marinette is thrilled that you invited her to one of your father’s shows. She just loves him,” Tom grinned.

“I thought she might like it, and I wanted her to see what it’s like,” Adrien replied smoothly. The conversation, though centered around her, was a good distraction for him.

“We’re so glad you two have become such good friends. Marinette has always really liked you.” Sabine started, but from the top of the stairs, Marinette cleared her throat, abruptly signaling the end of that discussion.

Adrien felt his pulse accelerate as she came down the stairs, taking in the change from her usual look with wide eyes. She wore a white blouse with a high-waisted pink skirt that left a lot of her legs exposed. Most notably, her hair hung loosely around her shoulders, free of her usual style which sent all kinds of reactions through his body. As she noticed his stunned expression, she blushed.

“Too much?” She asked. “I-I can go change. I wasn’t sure what to wear, I-I didn’t want to be underdressed, but-”

“No!” He reached out and took her wrist. “You look great.”

“Are you sure? Cause I feel like-”

“You’re perfect, Mari,” He smiled warmly and she returned the expression shyly.

“Shall we go?” She asked.

“Y-Yeah,” He gulped and opened the door for her.

“Have fun, sweetie!” Tom and Sabine called as they made their way down the stairs.

“You really do look nice. I-I like your hair down. You look, um, you look really nice.” He winced as he opened the car door for her. Now he was the one tripping over his words.

“Thanks. It’s such a hassle to keep it down usually,” She sighed, twirling a strand around her finger.

“Well, I love it,” He grinned, sliding in beside her.

“So,” She dragged the ‘o’ out as they drove off.

“So?” He laughed.

“What were you and Alya talking about yesterday, texting when you thought I wasn’t looking?”

_Shit!_

“What? Uh, n-no, nothing,” He scrambled under her glare.

“Didn’t seem like nothing,” She folded her arms over her chest.

“J-Just, uh, Alya was giving me a hard time.”

“About what?”

“Nothing. It doesn’t matter…” He shifted to look out the window.

“Okay,” She pursed her lips and faced forward, pulling out her phone. “I’ll ask Nino then. He’ll be honest with me.”

“No!” Adrien’s hand shot over the screen as she pulled up her messages.

“So she did say something.”

Adrien sighed, leaning his head back against the seat. Should he ask now? He really would prefer a more romantic and less tense atmosphere…

“Look, Alya, just…she and Nino are a thing now, and we’ve been hanging out a lot, so…”

“She told you to ask me out, didn’t she?”

“Yeah,” He winced.

“Ugh! That girl,” She hunched over, rubbing her face with her hands. “I’m sorry. She’s so relentless.”

“I-It’s fine, actually, I was-”

“Please don’t let her push you into anything you don’t want.”

“No, I wouldn’t mind-”

“Cause she means well, but she can go overboard sometimes.”

“Well, yeah…I guess, but-”

“I mean, I don’t know how many times I have to tell her we’re just friends before she gets it into her brain that we just don’t like each other that way.”

“Oh…right,” He swallowed at the lump forming in his throat, but it didn’t help. “So not in love with-yeah, gross. W-We’re just…friends.”

“Yep,” She nodded and an awkward silence fell between them.

            He was too late. Marinette didn’t love him anymore. Or, even if she did, did she want to be with him? It always seemed as if she were going through so much trouble to avoid him when he tried to take things past friendship.

            “Um, thanks for this again,” She said after a while.

            “O-Oh, yeah, no problem. I hate going usually because I think they’re boring, but having you around should make it more bearable.”

            “You can invite me to more, ya know, to alleviate some of your boredom…” She hinted, and Adrien couldn’t help but chuckle.

            “Please, save me.”

            Gradually, the car came to a stop as they reached their destination, and Adrien offered her a hand.

            “Ready?”

            “Yes! No…I-Yes?” She bit her lip and placed her hand in his, allowing him to pull her out and into the back door of a large building. It was typically where his father held his fashion shows in Paris, and Adrien knew the layout all too well.

            He forced back amused laughter as Mari gawked at passing models and assistants pushing racks stuffed with his father’s designs. She squeezed his hand, excited squeals seeping out every now and then. He’d never seen anything more adorable.

            “Mari, don’t forget to breathe,” He snickered.

            “If I’m dreaming right now, please don’t wake me up.” She sighed dreamily.

            “Come on. Let’s get to our seats before they start,” Her response was a blank nod as she allowed him to pull her along as her senses overloaded.

            “Am I dead? Is this what heaven looks like?”

            “Hopefully not. Your parents won’t let me set foot in the bakery every again if you die, so stay alive for me. I want a future full of your dad’s croissants.”

            “Have as many as you want,” She smiled as the lights around the room dimmed and spotlights illuminated the stage. Marinette hugged his arm with a wide grin.

            Watching her was fun, the way her eyes shined as models made their turns up and down the runway. Something about it was so innocent, and Adrien found himself paying more attention to her than anything else. For most of the show, they sat pressed together, Mari’s arm linked through his as she stared up in amazement at each design. He knew it didn’t mean anything special, just that she was too enthralled to realize, though he wasn’t going to point it out to her either. No, he allowed her to cling to him, enjoying the feeling of having her on his arm, pretending for just a little while that they were together, even if he knew it wasn’t true.

            At the sound of stunned gasps, and a worried expression on Marinette’s face, Adrien looked up at the runway where a young model scrambled to her feet. Chatter broke out among the audience as she quickly strutted back up the stage in her ripped dress.

            “She’s fired.” Adrien commented with a sigh.

            “Really?” Mari turned to look at him, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

            “Yeah, my dad takes his designs very seriously. I’ve seen him fire models just for forgetting a necklace.”

            “Wow. I-I guess fashion is a cut-throat industry.” She glanced back at the stage with a frown.

            “Does that scare you?”

            “A little,” She admitted. “I’m more afraid that people won’t like my designs.”

            “You’re an amazing designer, Marinette. You’ll be great.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and rubbed her arm on the other side.

            He left it there, twirling strands of her soft hair around his fingers delicately as she once again became absorbed by the show. Touching her so tenderly made his heart skip, and he wanted it to be real. Did she want him or not? Alya seemed to think she still did, but he wasn’t so sure.

            In an instant the lights shut off and after a moment, a spotlight shown on the stage where a brightly dressed woman posed. An akuma.

            “Ready for the real show?” She laughed maniacally as her eyes flashed purple, hypnotizing the front row of photographers.

            Adrien’s jaw clenched. Now? Of all times? Hawkmoth couldn’t take a break to let Marinette enjoy his present?

            “Come on! Let’s get out of here,” Adrien yelled as the audience broke into a panic.

            Within seconds, Gorilla was at their side, ushering them through the crowd toward the exit. It wasn’t until they’d made it into the solitude of a connecting hallway that he realized they’d lost Marinette.

            “Wait!” He called to Gorilla who was still shoving him along. “We have to go back for Marinette!” He attempted to resist, but Gorilla threw him over his shoulder with ease. “Hey!”

            Despite how he squirmed, Gorilla was stronger. He needed to get away. Needed to transform and find Marinette. If anything happened to her-

            “Oof!” Adrien grunted as Gorilla dropped him in a custodial closet. He looked up at his bodyguard in confusion, and Gorilla rolled his eyes.

            “Do your thing,” He grunted.

            “My-what? What thing? I don’t have a thing…” His voice trailed off as Gorilla gave him a stern look. “Uh, how exactly did you figure it out?”

            “You disappear, cat kid shows up, cat kid disappears, you show back up. It’s not rocket science, kid.” He sighed.

            “Right…” He winced. Gorilla shrugged and shut the closet door.

            “I always knew he was smarter than he looked.” Plagg mused, sounding impressed.

            “We can freak out about it later. Marinette’s in trouble!”

            “Ugh, can I have some Camembert first?”

            “No time! Transform me!”

Marinette

            “Ladybug! Soon you’ll be a slave in my fashion army,” Fashionista declared with a demented grin.

            “With your lousy style? I don’t think so,” Ladybug scoffed, swinging her yoyo at her side.

            “You’re not going to have much of a choice,” As her eyes began to flash as they had before, Chat Noir appeared from above, staff posed to strike. Fashionista dodged backwards, eyes narrowing into a glare.

            “Looks like I have two beauty queens to put up with now,” He winked at Ladybug.

            “Nice of you to drop in, Chat Noir,” She smiled.

            “Fools! Now I have both of you in my sight!” The akuma snarled.

            “Shall we take care of her?” Ladybug sighed, sounding bored. She cast a sly smile to Chat Noir.

            “After you, LB,” He bowed.

            It didn’t take them long to apprehend the villain and capture the akuma, both heroes finally back to their normal antics, playfully bantering and perfectly in sync. As Miraculous Ladybug repaired the damage, Chat extended his fist to his partner with a smile.

            “Looks like the dream team is back,” He beamed.

            Instead of touching her fist to his in their typical congratulatory ritual, Ladybug hopped off the stage into his arms, hugging his neck tightly.

            “It’s good to be back,” She sighed. “Thank you…for everything.”

            “We’re a team. I’ve got your back and you’ve got mine.” He pressed his forehead to hers, smiling down at her.

            “I know, but I’ve been selfish lately, and it’s unfair to you…hate me?” She winced.

            “I couldn’t hate you. Not in a million years.” He placed his hands on her shoulders.

            “Even though I rejected you then made you put up with my relationship woes?” He laughed at that.

            “Even after that,” He nodded. “Besides, I’ve moved on, so don’t go falling for me now, kay?” Ladybug rolled her eyes.

            “In your dreams,” She teased. At the protesting beeps of their Miraculouses, Chat backed up with one of those boyish grins.

            “I might pay my new lady a visit later. It was her birthday yesterday,” He said thoughtfully.

            _Ah, crap._

            “Knock her dead, Chat…” She laughed nervously as he ran off. “Please, put me out of my misery.”

            That cat fell in love with her again, and he didn’t even know it. Not that she could really fault him considering she still loved Adrien, and to add insult to injury, she might actually be falling for him too.

            As she headed back stage to find a place to change back, she found herself staring into dark, soulless, gray eyes that stopped her dead in her tracks. He was tall, clad in a purple suit with a silver mask covering most of his face, and he was staring at her less than twenty feet away.

            Her blood ran cold, fear shooting up her spine. Every fiber of her being wanted to move, to run, but those cold eyes held her captive where she stood, her feet rooted to the ground. Her earrings beeped in protest, snapping her into action as if Tikki herself were screaming at her to get away.

            In an instant, her limbs surged with adrenaline, and she bolted back through the curtain into the auditorium. She willed her legs to move faster as she raced through the deserted halls, heart slamming against her chest, blood pounding in her ears.

            Why? Why here? Why now?

            Finally, she ducked out the back door they’d come through earlier, glancing around swiftly to ensure the alley was clear before she leaned against the door, sliding down it was Tikki released herself from her earrings.

            “It’s okay, Marinette!” Tikki soothed as her master struggled for breath.

            Her limbs shook, eyes wide with terror as she desperately choked in air. Her lungs felt like they were burning, and no amount of air seemed to ease the tightness in her chest. Hawkmoth was there. Hawkmoth had almost discovered who she was.

            The world outside seemed darker, that narrow alley seemed to close in around her as her mind raced with the severity of the situation. She was suffocating, her thirst for air refusing to be quenched no matter how hard she tried.

            “…ari…Ma…Mari!” Her eyes focused on the face but didn’t register it. Gold hair, panicked green eyes. She soon became aware that he was shaking her shoulders, calling her named over and over, squeezing her tightly.

            _Adrien_.

            Her mind cleared in an instant, the shock melting away as her emotions took a nosedive, and tears spilled down her cheeks. Adrien pulled her against his chest, rocking her slowly and kissing her hair.

            “It’s okay…You’re okay,” He repeated while she sobbed uncontrollably.

            She needed Chat. Chat would know. She could tell him- she _needed_ to tell him. But he was gone, and she only had Adrien, so she kept it hidden. Tucking it away deep inside herself just like hiding her identity.

            “S…orry,” She hiccupped after a while. Adrien rubbed her back gently.

            “No, Gorilla pulled me away and left you alone. You must have been terrified,” He kissed her cheek. “Are you okay?”

            “Yeah…” She pushed back slightly, face burning. “Just freaked out.” He seemed a bit relieved.

            “I was worried about you. I’m really sorry the show got ruined…”

            “It’s not your fault. I-I had a great time otherwise,” She insisted.

            “I’ll make it up to you. Why don’t we go get dinner?”

            “Okay…” She laughed a little, clinging to that sliver of normality, though a dark storm brewed inside her. Haunting, gray eyes.

            As she climbed into the car followed by Adrien, she suppressed a shudder at the memory. Hawkmoth was there, and he had seen her.

* * *

Author's Notes: 

This chapter is one of my favorites so far (though chapter 11 is giving it a run for its money). Such angst. And #GorillaKnows and you can't convince me otherwise.  

Alya and Nino are the copresidents of the Adrinette shipping club. Sponsored by Tom and Sabine.

I'm posting this a few days early cause I want to be able to focus on writing chapters 11 and 12 and finishing up part one soon. So hopefully you enjoy! :) 

The ending to this one came to me as I was writing it and wasn't preplanned, but I like it, and I've made tweaks to make it correspond with chapter 11 which I'm writing right now! 

Prepare your bodies for more angst and feelings next chapter! Though by this point I think you've all figured out that's basically every chapter ;) 

I asked on tumblr, and I figure I'll as here too since I'm getting there soon. The reveal will be pretty simultaneous, meaning they both find out at the same time roughly, and I'm debating which point of view to use for it. So I ask: Would you rather see Mari's pov or Adrien's pov for the reveal? Or should I write both and include one as an alternate ending sort of even though the outcome will be the same? Let me know in the comments! 

See you guys soon!

 


	9. Family Matters

Chapter Nine: Family Matters

            Two weeks had passed since Marinette’s birthday, and Adrien had been spending a lot of time with Marinette and her parents whenever he could get away. Her parents were kind and accepting just like their daughter, and constantly inviting him to stay for dinner and teaching him the homemaking skills he took for granted.  It was fun there, warm and friendly, unlike the cold, empty house he always returned to. Their home was filled with love and laughter, and he wished more than anything that he could just stay there forever.

            Today Mr. Dupain promised to teach him how to bake fresh bread, and he couldn’t wait to spend time with someone who actually cared about him. Their humble home was far more inviting than his own, and in a way, he realized, the mansion wasn’t his home anymore. It hadn’t been his home in years. No, home was with _her_ , and the more time he spent with her, the more he believed that.

            “Plagg, let’s go,” Adrien called, but he received a groan in response.

            “I hate when you leave the house cause I get stuck hiding all day.” He whined, floating down reluctantly. “Why don’t you just tell her already?”

            It had been a while since Chat Noir had visited her balcony. Two weeks. Two weeks since he’d kissed her. He felt his face flush as the memory flashed in his mind, but it was followed by heavy self-consciousness when he remembered that she hadn’t been impressed with that display.

            As a result, he hadn’t been back in a while since Alya seemed so certain that Marinette was in love with Adrien and not Chat Noir. Even still, he really wanted to get away some nights and visit her again, but he kept his distance.

            “I will when the time is right. If I tell her too soon she may not respond well,” Adrien explained, rubbing the back of his neck. Plagg grunted and retreated into his master’s shirt without further argument.

            As he descended the stairs with a thoughtful smile, his father exited his office off to the right, observing his son’s cheerful demeanor skeptically.

            “Where are you going?” He demanded as Adrien’s hand closed around the doorknob.

            “Just to see a friend,” Adrien’s eyebrows furrowed apprehensively.

            “You’ve been running off a lot lately. Should I be worried about what you’re getting into?”

            “No, Father, I’ve just been spending time with my friend Marinette, and a majority of the time her parents are supervising.” His voice rose in pitch defensively.

            “Would they confirm that?” Gabriel cocked a brow.

            “Yes!” Adrien felt a flare of annoyance at his father’s lack of trust. “Ya know, I wouldn’t have to go out to see my friends all the time if you’d let them come here!”

            Adrien shrank as his father’s gaze hardened, immediately wishing he could snatch the words back.

            “People like us can’t trust people so willingly, Adrien. There are many people who only pretend to be your friend to take advantage of you,” He said coldly.

            “My friends aren’t like that! You banned Nino after he just tried to do something nice for me, and you’ve never shown any interest in meeting any of my other friends. All you ever do is pass judgment because we have more money than they do.”

            “There is such a thing as social class, but I don’t expect you to comprehend that at your age. The lower class is full of envious people who will stop at nothing to take what we have,” Gabriel’s lip twitched, a sign Adrien knew too well. His father was losing his temper, but so was he.

            “What would you know about having friends, anyway? You’re too bitter and cold.” With that, he shoved the door open and stepped out into the blazing summer sun, letting the door slam behind him. He headed up the street quickly, heart pounding his boiling blood through his veins.

            “It’s about time you stood up to him!” Plagg cast a proud grin as he floated beside his companion. Adrien slowed his pace gradually as the situation sank in. He’d never said anything like that to his father before.

            “I’m gonna be in so much trouble!” He ran a hand through his hair, eyes widening in horror. Plagg sighed disappointedly.

            “Your rebellion is always so short-lived.” He shook his head and ducked back into Adrien’s shirt.

            What had he done? Why did he say that? He was so dead when he got home! His stomach twisted in knots as he walked to Marinette’s house. Now he dreaded going home for a whole new reason.

            “Oh, good afternoon, Adrien,” Mrs. Cheng greeted warmly as he entered the bakery. It was a slow portion of the afternoon, so there weren’t any customers, and Sabine sat at the cash register, totaling their morning earnings.

            “H-Hey, Mrs. Cheng,” He nodded politely.

            “Tom is very excited you asked for a baking lesson. He really enjoys having another man around.” She chuckled.

            “I’m really glad he agreed to teach me. I-I’ve never really had to do anything, so it’s nice to learn.” He stammered.

            They both stood in awkward silence for a moment while she counted change as Adrien didn’t know what else to say. His mind whirled with thoughts of his father’s punishment that awaited him at home.

            “Is everything alright, dear?” Sabine asked after a while. Adrien’s gaze lowered to his shoes.

            “I…”

            “Well, look who’s here!” Tom’s voice boomed throughout the small shops. “Ready to get started, my little baking apprentice?”

            Adrien threw on a smile and nodded, glancing guiltily back at Mrs. Cheng who eyed him sympathetically. Now he knew where Marinette got her gift.

            Mr. Dupain was immensely patient as he walked Adrien through the steps to make their family’s famous bread. It took his mind off of his father, even for a little while. As Tom beamed down at his creation proudly, Adrien couldn’t help but wish Tom were his father instead.

            Marinette’s parents were so loving and supportive of her passions; they pushed her to follow her dreams unlike his father who only let Adrien do what he approved. He didn’t necessarily detest any of the extracurricular activities his father pushed him into, but he also hadn’t picked nay of them for himself. His father had high expectations for his behavior and talents, a mold he created that he expected Adrien to fill, but Marinette’s parents…they gave her room to pursue her interests. Room to be the person she wanted to be.

            His father was wrong. Marinette and her family didn’t envy him, note even a little. It was he who wanted what they had. Love. Family. Warmth. Acceptance. He’d give anything for a life like that with his mother and father.

            “Boys! Lunch is ready!” Sabine called down the stairs. Tom grabbed the loaf and wrapped an arm around Adrien’s shoulders, leading him up the stairs to the living room and kitchen.

            “The first ever loaf of bread baked by Adrien, everyone.” Tom grinned, showing it off. Marinette and Sabine clapped as Adrien rubbed the back of his neck.        

            “Come sit and eat, honey,” Sabine gestured to the stool beside Mari who patted it with a smile.

            “So, Adrien, you have a fencing exhibition this weekend?” Tom asked conversationally while they ate. Adrien felt awkward the first few times Mrs. Cheng made lunch for him, but he’d grown accustomed to it mostly because she refused to let him go hungry.

            “Yeah, we’re raising money for charity and having a little friendly competition.” He replied.

            “I pity the souls who go up against you. You’ve won a few championships in your division, haven’t you?”

            “Just a couple,” He blushed.

            “That’s amazing though!” Mari nudged him with her elbow. “I’m looking forward to watching on Saturday.”

            “You’re coming?” He asked, eyebrows raising in surprise.

            “Of course we are!” Tom grinned. “I always wanted Marinette to try out for sports, but she falls down the stairs almost every morning, so I’ve long since lost hope.”

            “Hey!” She huffed as everyone laughed.

            “I kid, you’re a wonderful artist, and I wouldn’t have you any other way.” He pinched her cheek affectionately.

            “You won’t be nervous with us watching, will you, dear?” Sabine asked worriedly.

            “Not at all. I’ll be sure to do my best.” He smiled.

            It felt nice having their support, and Adrien couldn’t help the smile on his lips as Tom chattered on about a cake he had to make for a birthday party next week. Their life was refreshingly normal. Work, TV shows, friends, hobbies…watching their discussions intrigued Adrien because all he ever talked to his father about were the ways in which he disappointed him.

            “Well, I better get back downstairs and bake some cookies before our afternoon rush gets here.” Tom stretched and stood up. He pecked his wife on the cheek and thanked her for lunch before heading back downstairs.

            “Marinette, why don’t you go sweep up downstairs?” Sabine suggested as she placed their dirty dishes in the sink and flicked on the water. Mari groaned but slipped out of the stool and sulked down after her father obediently.

            “Do you need any help?” Adrien asked awkwardly.

            “Could you bring me the dishes on the table?” She asked sweetly.

            “Sure,” He replied, grateful to be doing something.

            “Thank you, dear,” She pinched his cheek as he set the dishes down next to the sink. “Now, why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind?”

            “My-What?” He blinked, face burning with embarrassment.

            “You looked upset when you came in earlier. Is everything alright?” Adrien’s gaze dropped to the floor.

            “I-It’s fine, just my dad,” He mumbled.

            “Marinette has hinted that you two don’t get along very well,” Her eyebrows furrowed.

            “We have a complicated relationship,” Adrien admitted.

            “Your father does his best, I’m sure,” She offered.

            “Yeah, I guess,” He shrugged. “Since my mom disappeared, he’s thrown himself into his work, and he put me in all of these extracurriculars to keep me busy so I’m out of his hair.”

            “People grieve in different ways. I don’t know your father well, but he took the loss hard. He shut himself away for six months after she went missing,” Sabine recalled, drying her hands with a distant gaze. “I can’t pretend I know how it feels to be in your position, but you are welcome here anytime, sweetie. Tom and I are no replacements for your own parents, but we do love you, and if you ever need us…we’re here.” She cupped his face with a gentle smile.

            “Thank you,” Adrien winced, fighting back tears. Sabine pulled him down into a tight hug, and Adrien felt the truth of her words.

            He missed his own mother, sure, but being in Mrs. Cheng’s arms made him feel like a kid again. She was ‘mom’ enough to give him that same safe feeling, the feeling of being loved and cared for.

            “Adrien! Alya just text me that Kim and Ivan are competing to see who can eat more crepes, wanna go?” Mari called as she burst through the door.

            “Yeah, sounds fun,” He smiled nervously. Sabine patted his shoulder encouragingly, and he followed behind Marinette as she skipped down the stairs.

            “Who do you think will-” She stopped short.

            “Mr. Agreste? What can I do for you?” Tom’s voice sounded from the bakery.

            “I’m here to retrieve my son,” Adrien’s blood ran cold. “He has a tournament this weekend and needs to practice.”

            “He really works hard,” Tom chuckled. “I’ll go get him.” Mari turned to look up at him, reading the panic on his face. She stepped up beside him and took his hand gently.

            “What happened?” She whispered. “Why is he here?”

            “We had a fight earlier…” He looked away, ashamed.

            “Adrien!” Her eyebrows furrowed worriedly as she squeezed his hand.

            “Ah, there you two are,” Tom grinned, but as he took in their solemn expressions his face fell. “Come on, your father is here.” He held out an arm, wrapping it around Adrien’s shoulders as he climbed down the remaining stairs.

            “I had fencing this morning,” Adrien stated meeting his father’s piercing gaze.

            “I don’t want you to be sloppy on Saturday. You are first place in your division, you have to set a standard,” He replied curtly.

            “It’s not even a real competition, father, it’s just for fun,” He winced.

            “That’s no excuse to perform poorly, now go get in the car.” His words were final. Tom squeezed his shoulder before letting him go, and Adrien sulked from the bakery as Mari looked on worriedly.

            “I apologize if my son is inconveniencing you by loitering in your home so much,” Gabriel said formally.

            “He’s no trouble at all,” Tom insisted, and Gabriel shifted his gaze to Mari standing in the doorway in the back. He searched her concerned expression for a moment before nodding shortly and following after his son with even steps.

            Adrien slouched in his seat with his arms folded over his chest, turning his head as his father slipped in beside him.

“Menacing aren’t they?” He growled.

“Adrien,” Gabriel warned.

“Did you see how they were taking advantage of me? Letting me into their home, feeding me, caring about me.” He continued.

“Adrien,” He noticed that tell-tale lip twitch.

“They’re coming on Saturday to watch me fence. Where will you be?” He pushed, blood boiling.

“I have an important meeting,” Gabriel replied calmly, pulling out his tablet and flicking through his schedule. 

“You always say that,” Adrien grumbled.

“I’ve worked very hard to give you a comfortable life, so I don’t expect you to comprehend the demands of having a career, but I have responsibilities.” When Adrien remained silent, he sighed. “Perhaps, I should educate you on what it means to work hard. I’m extending all of your lessons for the rest of the week. Maybe you’ll learn not to be so insubordinate.”

When the car came to a stop at their front gate, Adrien kicked the door open and stalked up to the door. He raced up to his room and fell onto his bed, limbs shaking. Of course he’d anticipated backlash for his behavior that morning, but the fact that his father showed up in person told him how angry he truly was even if he was hiding it.

“Adrien, Mr. D’Argencourt is waiting,” Nathalie called. After a moment, he pushed himself up with a sigh and changed in to his gear.

Plagg watched with a sympathetic frown, nuzzling his cheek softly. “It’s not like you can’t go see her as Chat Noir.” He offered. Adrien paused and rubbed between Plagg’s ears with a grateful smile before heading down to their gym where Mr. D’Argencourt waited on the mat.

His anger mad him sloppy, and D’Argencourt tripped him up several times, which only made him angrier. He was too wound up to focus on fencing. What he needed was release. He needed Mari; she’d know how to fix it.

But he couldn’t see her with his dad watching him like a hawk. Increasing his lessons was his father’s power play to keep him in line, and he was sick of it. He was sick of being ordered around and being on someone else’s agenda.

D’Argencourt knocked him on his back once more, and Adrien tore his mask off with a frustrated groan and tossed it to the side.

“Perhaps we should end for the day,” He offered.

“Run it again,” Gabriel’s stone cold voice boomed from the corner.

“No, I’ve had enough,” Adrien growled, not moving.

“I said run it again,” His father approached calmly, hands clasped behind his back.

“I’m done,” Adrien stood up and headed for the equipment closet.

“You are not finished until I say you are, now put your mask back on.”

“No!” He shot back, tossing it into the cabinet. Gabriel caught his arm as he moved to toss in his foil after it, cold blue eyes alight with rage.

“Do as I asked,” He growled. He grabbed a mask and a foil and moved to the mat. “I’ll take it from here, Armond.”

Adrien took a deep breath, but it didn’t calm the fire burning through his veins. He snatched his mask and foil, slamming the cabinet door as he stomped back to the mat.

“I didn’t know you fence,” He commented.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” Gabriel replied, slipping on his mask. “You want me to listen to you, now why don’t you talk?” He struck forward, but Adrien parried.

“You’re only taking interest because I’m not willing to be your puppet anymore,” He retorted, beating his blade to the side, but his father recovered quickly and struck once more.

“Do you honestly think I only see you as an object to manipulate, Adrien?” He sighed.

“Basically,” He grunted while they countered each other. Adrien struck for a point, but Gabriel pushed him off, knocking him on his back.

“I do the things I do for you betterment, Adrien, and you thank me with accusations and impudence,” He growled, touching the tip of the foil to his son’s chest.

“Oh, don’t pretend like you care,” Adrien swatted the blade away and pushed his mask up. “You just want to keep me locked up here! You like it when I’m miserable.”

“Don’t be foolish, you know that isn’t true,” Gabriel scoffed.

“Isn’t it?” He glared up at him challengingly. “Ever since mom left you’ve pushed me even farther away like you couldn’t be bothered with me. You don’t care about me, all you care about is your work!”

“Get up,” Gabriel replied, stalking back to his position. Adrien snapped his mask back into place and stood up, readying himself again, but his father showed him no mercy, never letting him get a hit in and barely giving him enough time to react before the next strike came.

“You’ve let your anger get the better of you.” He critiqued after he knocked Adrien down for the fifth time. “You’re sloppy.”

“What do you want from me?” Adrien yelled, ripping his mask off again.

“I want you to stop acting like a tantrumming child!” Gabriel removed his own mask, glaring down at his son. Adrien’s eyes stung, but he didn’t want his father to have the satisfaction of seeing him cry. He climbed to his feet and walked swiftly from the room, tossing his mask and foil down on the mat.

“Transform me!” He growled, slamming his bedroom door. As soon as his suit materialized, he leapt from his window and lost himself in the city. He wanted to be anywhere…away. Landing roughly on a roof, he fell to his knees, tears falling freely down his face.

He wasn’t going back. Ever. He was tired of bending over backwards to please his father and getting the cold shoulder in return. He didn’t want to see him ever again.

“Chat Noir?” He jumped and spun around, realizing where his feet had carried him.

“O-Oh, princess, sorry, I…” His voice trailed off as Mari’s gaze softened kindly, and she extended a hand to him. Hesitantly, he placed his hand in hers, and she led him down into her room through the skylight.

She sat him on her chaise and disappeared down her trap door. Embarrassed, he rubbed his eyes and smiled. Of course she’d bring him inside. How like her.

A couple minutes passed before Marinette returned with a tray of meringues and hot cocoa. She tugged her comforter down from her bed and draped it over their shoulders as she fell into place beside him.

“One good thing about living in a bakery is you always have something sweet to pick you up when you’re down,” She handed him a mug and took a sip of her own.

“Thanks,” He mumbled.

“You’re welcome, kitty.” She ruffled his hair, and he leaned against her, soaking in her warmth. She set the tray and her mug on the floor and pulled him into her arms, hooking her chin around his neck.

“I don’t expect you to tell me anything because I know your identity is important to you, but I don’t like seeing you sad, so if I can do anything let me know,” She murmured softly, stroking his hair.

“Can we stay like this for a while?” He asked, breathing in her scent. She always smelled like sweets and vanilla, the product of living in a bakery, he supposed.

“Sure,” She hugged him tighter, wrapping the blanket around them more snugly, filling him with a sense of security and calm. “You can cry if you want.”

“I wasn’t crying,” He replied defensively, pursing his lips.

Mari was the only person to see him cry in both forms now, and it was extremely embarrassing. Especially since he wanted to impress her, but she knew he was a mess underneath his swagger.

“If you say so,” She giggled.

“I wasn’t!”

“Right, there was dust in your eyes, Mr. Manly-Man,” He felt her grin against his shoulder.

“You must not think I’m cool anymore,” He sighed.

“Oh, Chat,” She shook her head. “I never thought you were cool.”

“I’m offended,” He couldn’t help the grin spreading across his face. He pulled back and touched his forehead to hers, meeting her teasing gaze.

“No, not cool, just sweet,” She smiled up at him, and he couldn’t help closing the distance between their lips, tasting her sweet breath for only a moment before he pulled away.

“Sorry,” He blushed, rubbing his neck.

“You like to kiss me without warning, don’t you?” She laughed.

“Well, you’re so kissable,” He covered his face in shame as soon as the words left his mouth. “That was lame, I’m sorry.”

“Like I said, not cool at all,” She chuckled, sliding her arm around his waist and pulling him back into a hug. “Did it help?”

“Huh?”

“The kiss. Do you feel better?” She asked.

“Just being with you helps, princess,” He breathed, then sat up to look her in the eye. “But if you’re offering I wouldn’t mind kissing you again.”

“Of course you wouldn’t.” She rolled her eyes. “What is it with boys and kissing?”

“It’s fun,” He smirked. Marinette picked up her mug and took a thoughtful sip.

“Do you feel better about what was upsetting you?” She asked. He popped a meringue into his mouth and chewed it for a while. Being there with her didn’t change the situation back home, it only delayed it for a while, and he knew that.

“Yes and no,” He responded quietly. Mari shifted to cuddle against his side, looking up at him patiently. “I’ve just got a lot of pressure from…from everyone. They all expect me to be…their definition of perfect, and…I’m just tired of being defined by other people.”

“Is that why you were upset?” She rested her chin on his shoulder.

“I got into a…disagreement with someone about it, yeah,” He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

“I have a friend like that. His dad shoves him into a mold, and it’s not what he wants at all, but he doesn’t want to disappoint him.” She picked at her pajama pants nervously.

“And you feel sorry for him?”

“I want to help him,” She sighed. “I don’t like to see my friends hurting.”

Chat felt his heart skip a beat. Mari was too pure, and he really believed her. Every forlorn expression, every smile that took just a second too long to form, every mask he put on each day that fooled everyone else, and Mari was the only person to care enough to look at the face underneath. To care enough to fix it.

“Well, if this is any indication, I think you probably help him a lot,” He wrapped a reassuring arm around her shoulders.

“It doesn’t feel like enough,” She leaned her head against him, gazing distantly across the room.

“You can’t fix everything for him. I’m sure knowing you care is more than enough.” He said pointedly.

“I care about you too, ya know,” She looked up at him with a smile.

“And that’s enough for me, princess.” He touched his forehead to hers. A sly smile stretched across his lips. “You really like that friend of yours, huh?”

“Y-Yeah, we’re good friends,” She took another sip of her hot cocoa and looked away.

“Just friends?” He cocked a brow.

“Jealous?” She snorted.

“Just curious.”

“Didn’t curiosity kill the cat?” She retorted.

“Yeah, but satisfaction brought him back.”

“Fair enough,” She shrugged, and Chat turned to the side, crossing his legs together and resting his face in his hands with an enthusiastic smirk. Marinette sighed. “You’re going to think this is hilarious.”

“Do tell,” He winked, heart racing. She shifted to face him.

“I’ve kind of had a crush on him for a long time. Like a huge crush.” She started.

Hearing it from Alya was one thing, but hearing Mari admit it made his heart pound a little faster.

“You’ll probably think it’s dumb, but…”

“But?” He leaned forward, fully engrossed in her words.

“I didn’t like him at first, I thought, well, I guess I thought he was like Chloe. Shallow, mean, arrogant, but…when it started raining, he gave me his umbrella, and I realized he was actually sweet, and I fell for him hard after that.” She hugged her knees to her chest and rocked slightly on her heels. “I loved him for a long time, but he never looked twice at me. Not as anything more than a friend, and I…couldn’t even talk to him without getting nervous and flustered and…” She buried her face, cheeks pink.

“You say ‘loved’ like you don’t feel that way anymore,” His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He needed to know that she still loved him.

“Well, I guess…I-I guess I wasn’t any better than his other fangirls. I put him on a pedestal, worshipped him, and one day I realized that I didn’t know him at all. Not the real him anyway, and…when I-Ladybug broke his heart, I realized that he didn’t like me, and I guess…I’ve just been trying to move on.” She shrugged.

_No!_

“Now the part you’ll find funny…He asked me recently if I had someone that I liked, and I couldn’t tell him that I’ve been in love with _him_ , so I kinda may have told him that I’m in love with you.”

He stared at her for a long while, dumbfounded. Marinette was still in love with him, but maybe not for long. He needed to reinsert himself romantically. Fast.

“If you love him you should tell him.” He tried, keeping his voice steady.

“I can’t!” She hid her face behind her knees again.

“Why not?” He tugged gently at her wrists, unwrapping her limbs.

“Because! We’re just friends, and I’ve made my peace with that.”

“Don’t you think he deserves to know?”

“Why does it matter?” She whined.

“Because what if he’s in love with you? Are you going to give up the chance to be happy just because you’re too afraid?” He held her wrists, gazing seriously into her eyes.

“He’s not in love with me,” She averted her gaze.

“How do you know that?” She bit her lip, slowly slipping her hands from his grasp.

“It’s getting late, so…” She stood up and collected their mugs on the tray.

“Don’t let your fear stop you from following your heart, Marinette. You could be with him if you told him.”

“I don’t exactly have that luxury anymore.” She muttered under her breath, but his heightened hearing picked it up.

“Just think about it, okay?” He stood up and headed for the window, reaching for his staff.

“Chat,” She called, still crouched over the tray. “Thank you for caring.”

“You’re welcome, Mari.”

She loved him. She’d always loved him. All of the stammering and anxious fumbling…how had he not noticed before? If he hadn’t been so hung up on Ladybug…If Mari had asked him out before, would he have said yes? Would he have been able to see her as the amazing girl he saw now?

As he landed back in his room and released his transformation, his mind burned with questions. Should he tell her he’s interested or should he wait for her? If he waited would she ever tell him, or would she move on quietly? And what did she mean by not having that luxury anymore?

He flopped onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow. Everything in his life was a mess. His father was on some power assertion scheme, and the girl he loved was trying not to love him back for whatever reason. He was tired and confused, and he just wanted everything to work out somewhere in his life.

He stripped out of his uniform and left it on the floor, crawling back into bed in only his undershirt and boxers. As he stared at the ceiling for hours, he thought about all of the ways his life had changed in the last several years.

His mother disappearing changed his father. He’d always been reserved and quiet about how he felt about Adrien, but at least he had his mother’s reassurance and love. Now he had nothing. That is, until Marinette approached him in the park that day. And maybe that was why he was afraid to press further because now that he had someone who cared about him, he wanted to cling to her and never let go. Even if that meant holding his feelings inside of himself because he couldn’t bear to lose her.

So he would wait for her to tell him even if he had to wait forever. She was the sun in the center of his universe, giving him the light he needed to see through the emotional void between him and his father, and he never wanted that light to go out.

Marinette

The next morning Marinette picked at her breakfast, lost in thought. A lot of things had been weighing on her mind lately. Adrien, Hawkmoth, now Chat Noir…Her mind was never quiet these days, always worried about one thing or the next. Even her dreams weren’t safe, those sinister gray eyes plaguing her nightmares. She shuddered, pushing that thought away and focusing on Adrien.

She hoped he was okay after yesterday. His father seemed angry, and he’d been so frightened on the staircase. If only she could help him, but she felt so powerless, so useless. Kind words could only heal so much hurt before something else needed to be done. But what could she do? Their relationship really wasn’t her business, and the last thing she wanted to do was offend her idol.

Somewhere around lunch time, Marinette was absentmindedly knitting a piece of her Halloween costume, a common distraction she’d created for herself as of late, while her mother prepared sandwiches for everyone in the kitchen, when the doorbell rang. She jumped up and rushed to answer it, hoping to find Adrien on the other side, but the man that stood there wasn’t at all who she expected.

“Good afternoon, Miss Marinette.”

_Gabriel Agreste._

Several emotions stirred in her chest. Excitement, worry, curiosity, bewilderment. Gabriel Agreste was in her house! Why was Gabriel Agreste in her house?

“Uh, h-hi! What can I help you with, M-Mr. Agreste?” She squeaked. Gabriel clasped his hands together behind his back, standing tall. His stature was poised and calm, but Marinette could detect a hint of awkwardness under his composure.

“You spend a lot of time with my son,” He said matter-of-factly.

“Y-Yeah, we’re friends.” She gulped. He was quiet for a moment as he searched her expression.

“Would you care to have lunch with me?” He asked after a while.

“Lunch? With…y-you, I-I’d um,” She cleared her throat. “I would be happy to, sir.” Gabriel offered a curt nod and turned abruptly to head down the stairs.

Gabriel Agreste wanted to have lunch with her! Her heart pounded as she followed after him, and she wondered why he wanted to see her. Something related to Adrien?

Her stomach turned in knots as he motioned her into one of their expensive cars. Was she in trouble? Was Adrien in trouble? Was he going to forbid her from seeing him ever again?

Many more questions ran through her mind rapidly as they rode in silence to a classy restaurant up town. She followed Gabriel apprehensively, attempting to search his expression to gage his mood, but his emotions were kept hidden from his face.

In that moment she realized that his assistant was no longer with them, and that they were alone. She felt sick with worry. Why did he want to speak to her? Did he want to speak to her? That’s why he invited her right?

“You are quite the open book, Marinette,” He smirked as he pulled out her chair and motioned for her to sit. “Your emotions are written all over you face.”

“M-My what?” She blinked, curling in on herself timidly.

“You let your emotions expose themselves to others so easily. You’re worried about why I brought you here.” He explained evenly.

“A little,” She confessed quietly.

“I wanted to ask you about Adrien.” He replied without looking up from his menu. “His behavior lately concerns me, and he seems to flock to you.”

“Well, his friend Nino is dating my friend Alya, so we’ve both been hanging out more because our other friends are busy.” She explained, and Gabriel sat the menu down and looked her in the eye.

“But you care for him.”

“Well, yeah, he’s, we’re good friends, that’s all.”

“You are an awful liar,” He seemed slightly amused as his gaze flicked back down to the menu. “Your expressions convey your true feelings, and if you don’t learn to control them, people will take advantage of you.” He replied. Marinette’s gaze dropped to the table.

“I worry about him,” She admitted. “You two don’t get along very well, do you?”

“My son has his objections to my means of affection.” He stated flatly.

“Well, how do you show him how you feel?” She asked, immediately wishing she hadn’t as Gabriel’s eyes narrowed. His finger tapped the table for a moment before he spoke.

“I am, admittedly, not as good as his mother at expressing…affection, but he claims that I don’t care for him at all. I’ve always thought that I’ve shown him that I care for him greatly,” He glanced away, pursing his lips.

“How exactly do you tell him you care about him?” He sat up a little straighter, clearly uncomfortable.

“That’s irrelevant.” He replied simply, and Mari shrank under his gaze.

“I-I wasn’t trying to insult you, I just, um, sorry.” She lifted the menu to hide her face.

Silence stretched between them for a while until their food arrived, and Gabriel glanced at her occasionally, looking away swiftly if their eyes ever met. She felt that he wanted to talk more, but she wasn’t going to risk pressing the issue. Because it was none of her business, and he had every right to be offended, though his frequent looks led her to believe that he wasn’t as offended as she thought which he confirmed halfway through the entrée when he cleared his throat.

“Adrien has a hard time appreciating all that I do for him. His mother’s disappearance was…hard for both of us, and working makes it…easier for me. Distracts me. I didn’t want him to mourn, so I keep him busy.”

“With all of his extracurriculars?”

“Precisely.”

“Okay, so, what else?” She prompted.

“What else?” His eyes narrowed in confusion.

“Yeah, what else besides giving him work to do?” Gabriel considered it a while with a thoughtful frown.

“I’ve always provided him with everything he needs…Not that he’s ever grateful.”

“If you don’t mind me saying, Mr. Agreste, I think I see the problem.” Marinette winced. “You’ve been showing your love in a way that you understand, but I don’t think Adrien sees it that way.”

“What are you implying?” He glared, a normal expression on his face, she realized.

“I think you need to try showing Adrien you care for him in a way that he understands. I don’t think he’s ungrateful for everything you do for him, he just has a different idea of what love looks like.” She explained.

“And what does love look like to him?” He scoffed.

“Well…You put him in a lot of sports and extra activities, have you ever been to watch him at a tournament or game?”

“I’m usually tied up with work, so Nathalie records them for me to watch later.” He said dismissively.

“See, to Adrien that looks like you don’t care.” She pointed out.

“I don’t have time to go to every one of his events,” He growled.

“So, cut some of those activities out. Adrien wants freedom, not work,” She suggested. “He just wants to see his friends and be normal, and more importantly, he wants his father to be there for him.”

Gabriel averted his gaze, and they ate in silence for the rest of the meal. Marinette began to worry that she’d overstepped her bounds without meaning to. Gabriel was hard to figure out. It seemed as though he was worried about Adrien, despite trying to hide it, and Marinette wanted to help the two of them find some middle ground. To stop fighting and have a healthy relationship. They both needed that. They needed each other.

But Gabriel remained quiet as his assistant drove her home, staring out the window blankly. Reading him was hard considering he often looked angry, but something in his eyes looked a little…sad. Adrien often made that same face when something was bothering him. The face of hiding pain.

“Th-Thanks for lunch,” She bowed politely once they arrived at the bakery.

“Thank you, Marinette,” He replied softly, kissing her hand formally before sliding back into the vehicle. She watched the car pull away worriedly for a moment before retreating inside. She hoped Gabriel would take her words to heart. For both he and Adrien’s sake.

When Saturday finally arrived, Marinette felt anxious to see Adrien. Gabriel kept him locked up all week practicing for the exhibition, and she was eager to see how he was doing. As her parents found seats, she scanned the crowd of masked participants, hoping to find him, but in full gear everyone looked the same.

“Boo,” Mari nearly jumped out of her skin, much to his amusement.

“Are you okay?” She blurted, hugging his neck. “I’ve been worried.”

“I’m fine. My father just likes to throw his weight around,” He sighed. “Mmm, the hug’s nice though.”

“Adrien, we’re starting soon.” Mr. D’Argencourt warned in passing.

“That’s my cue,” He pulled away reluctantly. “We can pick up right here afterward.” He winked, and her traitor of a heart skipped a beat. Was he flirting with her?

“Good luck!” She cheered.

“That’s why you’re here.” He smiled, kissing her hand gently before slipping his mask on and taking his place among the others. Surely it was just her imagination, but the smirk on her parents’ faces said otherwise, and she couldn’t help the flush that came over her cheeks.

Adrien was off limits. Period. But what if he was flirting? What if he asked her out? What would she do? She couldn’t say yes, but she couldn’t bear to break his heart again either.

As she stewed over how to handle him, a tall figure approached and stood next to her stiffly.

“Mr. Agreste!” She gasped, and he cupped a hand over her mouth, frowning down at her, most likely glaring through his sunglasses. “I thought you had a meeting?”

“It got canceled.” He replied shortly. “May I sit?” She nodded and smiled up at him.

“Adrien’s going to be so happy you came to cheer him on.”

“I am here to show my support, but don’t expect me to make a fool of myself.” He sat down beside her somewhat reluctantly and crossed his legs, folding his hands neatly in his lap. Marinette couldn’t help but giggle to herself at how out of place he seemed.

“Adrien’s up next!” She commented after a while, and Gabriel glanced up from his tablet. Carefully, he set it in his lap and watched as his son took his place on the mat while several adoring fangirls squealed on the front row.

As the match began, Gabriel watched blankly as Adrien scored points with ease, remaining silent while everyone cheered. He was a man of dignity, and Marinette supposed his mere presence at the event was a monumental accomplishment from before. She couldn’t wait to see Adrien’s face when he saw him.

“He’s getting cocky,” Gabriel commented with a smirk. “It won’t be long before he makes a mistake.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth when Mari heard adoring fans on the front row shriek as Adrien fell backwards, making an easy point for his opponent.

“Now he’s embarrassed himself in front of the girl he likes, so he’s going to fight properly.”

“How can you tell all of that?” She asked as the match resumed. She didn’t notice any difference in his movements.

“I’ve seen every one of his matches, and I’m quite familiar with how he fences,” Gabriel explained. “I also know he’s interested in impressing a girl in the audience.”

Mari blushed as he cast her a side smile. Was Adrien really showing off to impress her? It didn’t seem like him at all.

“I-I never knew he cared so much about his fangirls,” She laughed nervously.

“He doesn’t, but someone in particular has caught his eye, and now he’s trying very hard to be impressive.”

“You can tell all that just by watching him fence?” Her eyes widened in awe.

“He’s like his mother. He wears his heart on his sleeve which makes him extremely transparent,” He sighed as his son took the match.

“Wow, I-I didn’t even realize he liked someone,” She bit her lip.

“Yes, you are a bit dense when it comes to that sort of thing I’ve noticed,” He chuckled, catching himself quickly and clearing his throat. “But you care about him, and for that I am grateful. It seems I may have misjudged you.”

Shoving aside the shock from his first statement, she smiled a little at the sentiment. She was getting used to Gabriel’s bluntness.

“I think Adrien would be happier if you told him how much you care about him, too,” She pointed out, which rewarded her with a blush from Gabriel that he quickly quashed under another emotionless mask.

“Perhaps,” He mumbled softly.

At the commencement of the event, Gabriel followed behind Marinette and her parents as they made their way over to compliment Adrien as dozens of dreamy-eyed girls crowded around him. Upon seeing Marinette his face brightened, and he pried himself away quickly, which rewarded both of them with glares from several girls, before he stopped short as his eyes fixed on his father.

“Great job today!” Tom slapped his shoulder with a hearty grin, snapping his attention away. “Come by the bakery later, I’ve got some salted caramel ice cream with your name on it.”

“I’ll be over right away,” He laughed, waving as they retreated back to their bakery. He turned stiffly to Marinette and his father.

“You were awesome!” She cheered. “Except the time you fell.”

Adrien caught the teasing lilt to her voice and smiled. “You must be rubbing off on me.” He winked, flicking her nose. He glanced up at his father reluctantly, straightening his posture slightly.

“Did you show up to make sure I didn’t embarrass you?” He grunted.

“My meeting got canceled, so I thought I’d come watch one of your matches in person for once,” Gabriel replied coolly. Adrien pursed his lips skeptically, flinching when Gabriel placed a hand on his shoulder. “Good work today.”

Adrien and Marinette watched him go, Adrien with a stunned expression, Mari with a satisfied smile.

“What was that about?” His eyebrows furrowed. “Is the world ending?”

“No, silly. I asked him to come,” She explained cheerfully.

“You _what_?” Adrien spun on her.

“The other day he took me to lunch, and-”

“Wait, wait, wait. You went to lunch with my father?” He gaped. “Then you asked him to come today, and he actually showed up?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” She shrugged. Adrien laughed in disbelief.

“You’re unbelievable, Mari. I’ve been asking him to come to one of my tournaments for like ever!” His eyes softened sweetly. “You’re amazing.”

“I-I just wanted you to be happy,” She blushed. Adrien pulled her into a tight hug that sent her heart racing.

“You’re all sweaty!” She attempted to push him away with a laugh, but he hugged her tighter.

“Nope. You’re gonna take it.” He grinned mischievously.

“Adrien! You’re so gross, stop!” She squirmed in an attempt to escape his grasp, but he lifted her feet off the ground. “Hey! No!”

“Suffer,” He teased, rubbing his cheek against hers.

“Is this the thanks I get for getting your dad here?” She sighed.

“Mmm, no, that would be this.” He puckered his lips and leaned toward her, playfully making kissy faces as she pushed away from him.

“No, you’re wet and gross, yet somehow you still smell good, and it makes me feel really bad about myself after gym class!” She wiggled until her feet hit the ground once more, and Adrien pressed his nose to hers. “Go. Shower.”

“Then can I kiss you?” He smarmed, and Marinette did her best to keep the mood light despite the rapid pound of her heart in her chest and the dread filling her mind.

“I’ll think about it,” She pushed his nose away, and he smiled, the answer seemingly good enough for him.

“Promise?” He cocked a brow, backing up toward the boys’ locker room.

“Maybe,” She spun around and rushed off after her parents.

“That’s not a no!” He called after her.

 _He’s only teasing, it doesn’t mean anything_ …At least that’s what she tried to tell herself, though no matter how much she wanted to believe it, she had a sneaking suspicion that he was being serious, and if he was being serious, what was she going to do? She’d already been deflecting every suggestive comment Alya threw at them every day, the last thing she needed was Adrien turning on the charm more than he usually did.

To her surprise upon entering the bakery, she ran smack into Gabriel. She apologized profusely, but Gabriel seemed unaffected.

“Is it alright if we talk for a while?” He asked.

“Uh, okay…” She gulped.

“I’ll put on some tea,” Sabine offered, rushing up the stairs ahead of them.

 _Gabriel Agreste is in my living room!_ She thought as they sat at the small table together. He remained quiet about the reason for his visit, instead making small talk with Sabine while she prepared the tea. After a few minutes, Tom brought up a plate of madeleines as the tea finished brewing.

“Would you like any sugar, Mr. Agreste?” Sabine asked politely as she poured a cup for him.

“No, thank you,” He waved her away.

“We’ll be downstairs if you need anything,” She glanced between them briefly before disappearing out the door.

Once they were alone, Gabriel took a thoughtful sip of his tea, and Marinette picked apart a madeleine nervously. After a moment, he set the cup down and clasped his hands together.

“I wanted to thank you properly for your advice, and also apologize for my son’s impolite behavior.”

“Oh, y-you’re welcome, and Adrien…he’s fine, I-I mean, we’re friends, so it’s fine,” She shoved a chunk of cake into her mouth to stop herself from saying something stupid.

“Would you care to join us for dinner this evening?” He asked, and she nearly choked. She took a sip of her tea to help wash it down.

“Uh, s-sure,” She croaked.

“Come by around six,” He instructed, standing and straightening his suit jacket. “Thank you for the tea.”

“You’re welcome,” She squeaked, jumping to her feet and rushing to open the door for him. “Uh, see you at six.”

“I look forward to it.”

Adrien

“Do you really think what’s-her-whoever is going to let you kiss her?” Plagg asked skeptically as Adrien brushed his teeth for the third time.

“Maybe. She didn’t say no…” He replied around his tooth brush.

“Your optimism is disturbing,” The black cat groaned.

A knock on his bathroom door sent the kwami into hiding. Adrien rinsed his mouth and opened the door to find his father on the other side.

“Hello?” He cocked a curious brow.

“I thought we could talk,” His father replied calmly.

“O…kay?” Adrien followed him to the sitting room where his father sat behind the grand piano and began to play a soft melody.

“Your mother loved the piano,” He commented as he played the first real song Adrien ever learned to play.

“Claire de Lune,” Adrien smiled.

“Her favorite. She used to make me play it all the time. It’s why I wanted you to learn piano, so you could play it for her instead.” It was strange seeing his father so relaxed as his fingers stroked the keys.

“She loved listening to me practice, even if I messed up a lot,” Adrien reflected, recalling the memory with a sad smile.

“She loved you a great deal,” His father replied as the song came to a close, and he quickly transitioned into Beethoven.

“Do you miss her?” Adrien asked quietly after a while.

“Very much,” Gabriel’s face fell slightly, and he looked…tired. More so than Adrien had ever noticed.

“Me too.”

The music stopped abruptly, and Adrien looked up to his father’s shoulders slumped as he rubbed his eyes. Adrien approached cautiously and lowered onto the bench beside him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder as the composure he’d so carefully constructed crumbled into pieces, and he was forced to face the pain underneath. Seeing his father this way was hard. He wasn’t good at comforting others like Mari was, so he did what he could. He wrapped his arms around his father and let him weep, swallowing back his own tears.

“I don’t expect you to understand everything that I do,” He croaked after a while, voice low and raspy. “But you’re all I have left, Adrien, and I can’t lose you too. So, please, don’t be reckless.”

The lump wedged in his throat only expanded under the weight of his father’s words, and Adrien couldn’t hold back any longer. Somewhere in his mind, he knew his father cared even if he had a weird way of showing it, but he’d never considered the hurt his father felt. The fear of losing the last thing that he loved, and as his father held him tightly, Adrien felt like they understood each other for one small moment.

After sometime they separated, and Adrien took to the keys as his father stood and cleared his throat. He ruffled Adrien’s hair as he headed for the door where he paused for a moment, listening as the chords of the song resonated throughout the room in perfect harmony.

“I am very proud of you, Adrien.” He said before quietly slipping from the room. Adrien smiled to himself, continuing the melody as Plagg poked out of his shirt.

“That girlfriend of yours is some miracle worker.” He gaped.

“Yeah, she is.”

Marinette

Marinette tugged at her dress as she stood outside the gates of the Agreste mansion that evening. Dining with Gabriel and Adrien separately was hard enough, having to keep her cool and focusing on not spilling food on herself, but dining with both of them together? She wasn’t sure she could pull it off.

“You’ve been standing out her for five minutes, Marinette, they’re probably waiting on you.” Tikki chided.

“I-I don’t think I can do this, Tikki! I’ll just text Adrien that I got sick,” She chewed her lip nervously. The kwami rolled her eyes and flitted up to ring the doorbell.

“Good luck!” She giggled, retreating back to her purse.

“Tikki!” Marinette hissed as the gates slid open in front of her.

She took a deep breath before slowly making her way up to the door. Biting her lip anxiously, she slowly raised her arm and knocked, holding her breath while she waited. When she heard the lock unlatching, she thought she might pass out before she remembered to finally exhale.

“Mari? What are you-wow,” He took in her form hugging black dress and low heels with wide eyes. “You look nice, but what are you doing here?”

“I invited her,” Gabriel answered, closing the door to his study behind him. “Are you going to make her stand outside all night?”

Adrien glanced between them in confusion for a moment before stepping aside and motioning her in. Gabriel glanced at her for a moment before walking calmly to the dining room.

“That’s a very appropriate dress for dinner,” He complimented, pulling her chair out.

“Thank you,” She blushed, sitting down awkwardly.

Adrien took the seat across from her cautiously, still a bit stunned by the whole situation. He was dressed in a white T-shirt and lounge pants, which Gabriel eyed with a disapproving frown.

“Go change,” He ordered.

“What? Why?” Adrien huffed.

“Because we’re having dinner, and I won’t allow my son to eat dressed in rags in front of a guest.” Adrien sighed and stood up, grumpily slouching from the room.

“Sorry, I wasn’t expecting company tonight,” He grumbled on his way out. Once he was out of earshot Mari turned to Gabriel.

“You didn’t tell him I was coming?” She asked as the kitchen staff poured their drinks.

“I didn’t want him getting too excited and act out for you,” Gabriel explained.

“Have you talked to him at all since this afternoon?” She winced.

“We chatted earlier…about his mother,” He admitted.

“How was that?”

“It went well, I think,” He swirled the wine in his glass before taking a slow sip. “I must confess, however, I invited you tonight to help me. It’s rare that our conversations go well which, I’m afraid to admit, is why we often dine separately.”

“I think it’s good that you’re trying,” She smiled encouragingly.

“If only Adrien thought so. He’s suspicious, I think,” He sighed.

“He’ll come around. Give it time.”

As if on cue, Adrien stalked back into the room, holding his arms out for approval. He’d changed into dark jeans and a white button-down shirt.

“Better.” Gabriel commented as Adrien slid back into his chair.

“So,” He started, twiddling his thumbs as the staff served out soup. Marinette laced her fingers together in her lap awkwardly trying not to be in the way of the staff. “This is…new.”

“You complain that I don’t allow your friends in the house, and when I invite one for dinner, you behave rudely. Is this how you thank me?” Marinette waved her hand in front of her neck as Adrien glared the other way and ate quietly. Gabriel gave her a defensive shrug and she held up a reassuring hand.

“So, you guys raised a lot of money for the charity today,” Marinette offered with a nod to Gabriel. Adrien glanced up at her as she spoke, gaze flicking to his father briefly then back to her.

“Yeah…” His eyes narrowed. “We got a very generous donation.”

“Are you opposed to spending our money on charity?” Gabriel returned the glare.

“It’s just a little out of character for you to do something for someone other than yours- Ow!” His head snapped to Mari who sipped her soup innocently before giving Adrien a stern look.

“Thanks, I guess,” He grumbled, swirling his soup with his spoon, and rubbing his shin sorely under the table.

“You’re welcome.” Gabriel replied, ignoring the first comment.

Their conversations went on like that for a while, both taking cues from Marinette when they were being too harsh. After dessert, Gabriel ordered Adrien to walk Marinette home as he had work to do. Though due to several kicks to the shin, Adrien walked with a slight limp.

“I think you broke my tibia,” He whined as they headed up the street.

“Well, you weren’t cooperating. Your dad is trying which is what you’ve always wanted, so cut him some slack, okay?” She scolded. He sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Sorry, I guess it’s just a little weird for me. I’m not used to him being nice,” He explained.

“It’s not like he tried to make you miserable before.”

“No, I’m pretty sure he was trying.” Adrien grunted, and Marinette punched his arm. “Ow! Hey, can you stop that?”

“Your dad suffered a lot, and he covers it up by drowning himself in his work! He’s shy, like you, and he’s not great at expressing how he feels, so the least you can do is appreciate when he tries.” Adrien pursed his lips sourly and muttered some sort of agreement under his breath, rubbing his arm grumpily.

“Thanks, I guess, I-I don’t mean to be so cynical about it, it’s just…I dunno, it feels too good to be true, ya know? I just wonder how long it will last.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I am happy that he’s trying.”

“Then my mission was a success,” She beamed. “Next I can work making him happy.”

“You’re unbelievable!” He laughed. “Absolutely, unbelievable. If you can change my dad, you’re the most amazing girl I’ve ever met.”

“A little kindness can go a long way,” She replied as they reached her door.

“However can I repay you?” He tapped his chin in thought then flicked his gaze down to her lips. “Have you thought about it?”

She felt her heart pound in her chest. The moment she feared. Because she had thought about it, and as much as her heart wanted it, her brain knew better. No matter how hard she tried to deny it or push it away, she still loved Adrien. A lot. And the more time they spent together, the more she loved him. Which made all of her decisions so much harder.

“I have…” She admitted.

“And?”

“Hugs are nice too, ya know, when you’re not all sweaty,” She smirked.

“You got my dad to sit through one of my tournaments and a meal with me. I don’t think a hug can suffice to prove my gratitude,” He stepped closer, and she felt her spine go stiff.

“Well, my price is a hug, so…” Her voice trailed off as he caressed her cheek, melting her brain into a pile of mush.

“I can afford to pay a little extra,” He breathed, leaning in closer, brushing her nose with his. “Unless…you really don’t want me to…” His eyes lowered sadly, and Marinette kicked herself mentally for being so weak-willed.

“W-Well, we’re just friends, so I-I don’t want you to feel like you have to,” She swallowed hard.

“We could be more than that if you wanted,” He gazed into her eyes hopefully.

“You’ve been listening to Alya too much,” She laughed and watched him slump, pushing down the guilt in her chest. He was quiet for a while, weighing her words.

“How about on the cheek then?” He asked. “And I’ll take the hug too.”

She knew she shouldn’t because it wasn’t platonic anymore. Not to him, not to her. And she should know better. After all, she’d lost control when it came to him. Would she do it again someday if she let herself fall back into his trap? She couldn’t say for sure, but all she knew was that her heart wanted him, and maybe in her mind she did too.

“Okay,” She caved, biting her lip.

He smiled and tilted his head slightly, pressing his lips to her cheek, lingering for several seconds before pulling away and wrapping his arms around her tightly. Her face burned as her pulse pounded up her neck, and she buried her face in his shoulder. It shouldn’t have felt nice, but it did. She shouldn’t have let it last so long, but she did. In that moment, she didn’t want to let go and neither did he.

“You really are amazing, Mari,” He murmured softly in her ear. “I don’t deserve you.”

“E-Everyone deserves someone who cares about them and supports them when they need it,” She replied, heart lurching guiltily.

“I care about you a lot,” He kissed her shoulder sweetly, fingers laced in her hair. A more intimate hug than she should have allowed, but it felt nice to be touched so tenderly. Nice to close her eyes and pretend for a while that things could be different.

But they couldn’t be, and she knew that. So she soaked it in while she could, the scent of his cologne, the way his fingers played with her hair, the way his arms tightened around her as he nuzzled against her cheek, pressing his lips against her skin once more, begging to move over to meet hers. But she never moved, so neither did he until they finally separated and parted ways.

Watching him slink off reluctantly brought on a new wave of pain. He wanted her, and that knowledge was probably the worst thing she’d ever had to face. Worse than breaking his heart, worse than stitching him back together while her own heart bled. To know that he loved her and being unable to love him in return was misery, and it was going to kill her.

* * *

 

Author's Notes:

Going to be posting a chapter every few days so I can catch you guys up to FF.net cause the reveal happens on Halloween in the story, and I'm going to try my hardest to get that chapter written and edited by Halloween, so I can post it here and on FF.net simultaneously. 

Some family angst here and Gabriel being an adorable awkward pumpkin just like his son. They both love Mari XD

My little sunshine children are too much for me to handle sometimes. Adrien's all be-being aggressive trying to love Mari, and she's like okay, I love you too, but stahp. D: 

If you haven't already I posted a very special reveal fic the other day that I think you will all enjoy. It's quite blatantly titled "The Big Reveal" and I am very proud of it. 

The next chapter is kind of ironic that I got to it around this time in light of recent spoilers, and just for the record, I totally had it planned before the leaks cause, I mean, who didn't see it coming? I'll probably post that one on Sunday then chapter 11 on Wednesday of next week and if I split 11 into two different chapters like I'm thinking I'll post chapter 12 next Saturday and then hopefully the last chapter (probably chapter 13 now) will hopefully be on Halloween. (For the record I already have chapters 10 and 11/12 written, I'm not going speed demon this week, I promise, 13 is the only one I have left to write). XD

Once part one is finished I might take a break for a few weeks to write a few chapters or write some drabbles and kind of take it easy as I wrap up this semester of school so I can focus on my finals, but we'll see how hungry you guys are after the finale.

* * *

 Questions and Answers

I thought I would answer some questions I’ve been asked in comments/review sections about LC so that you guys can kind of get an idea of where I’m coming from. ^^

 _“When are you going to reveal their identities?”_  

I’ve been asked this a couple of times, so I thought I would explain a bit how LC is going to be set up. LC will be in 3 parts, each with roughly 12/13 chapters (not sure about part three yet haven’t sat and plot mapped). As I stated in a comment on AO3 they will find out by part two. 

I have not written the reveal yet, but I know exactly how and when it will happen, and I can tell you it probably won’t happen or end up the way you think it will, but I can promise you, you’ll know it’s coming when you read that chapter. It’s not going to be a surprise, or it shouldn’t be…Mari and Adrien still have some growing to do, and given their history it’s necessary development for their relationship before the reveal happens. Because Adrien’s identity isn’t the problem, it’s Mari. Tension has been building underneath their relationship because of what happened between Ladybug and Adrien, and Adrien’s attempts to flirt with Mari only adds to it. I will say the reveal happens when that tension comes to a head, and both parties break under the pressure.

_“Will there be any more LadyNoir?”_

Yes! There will be an abundance of all sides of the love square throughout each of the parts, though not in the way you’re expecting all of the time. As far as part one goes, Ladrien has run its course, and LadyNoir has lost the romance aspect. I know everyone has their favorite side of the square, but in my head, they’re the same two people no matter what. The drama lies in the wall between their true identities, but once that wall comes down, the ships all kind of become one which is what you can expect out of parts two and three. :) For the time being, however, LadyNoir interactions will be on more trusting partner/close friendship levels.

_“Does Master Fu know Gabriel is Hawkmoth?”_

Not necessarily. He knows Gabriel through Adrien’s mother, which he explained is how Gabriel ended up with his book because Mrs. Agreste  ~~stole~~  borrowed it. Gabriel also doesn’t know that Master Fu guards the Miraculouses, but he does know that he wears the turtle Miraculous again through association with his wife. 

_“Ladybug is harsh on Chat Noir.”_

This came from an earlier chapter on AO3, but I thought I would talk about their development. 

Yes. Marinette/Ladybug is a bit hard on Chat Noir at first, but kind of she is in canon as well. She values him as a partner, but has no interest in him romantically, in fact, in a recent webisode put out she comments that he’s “nosy” and “cocky” and “always making puns that aren’t funny,” and that she isn’t interested in a guy like that which I picked up from watching the series to begin with. She has also commented (originally in a French dub of an earlier webisode and again in the English version mentioned previously) that if it weren’t for Adrien, she might consider Chat, but she immediately brushes it off because she doesn’t want to think about a world without Adrien. In LC she has kind of lost hope for Adrien, and since Chat Noir’s confession, she’s started to notice that she cares for him, though she hasn’t figured out whether her feelings are romantic or not. LadyNoir moments have been short and few lately, so it’s hard to gauge their interactions and you have to rely on Mari’s behavior which is comparable to how she would act and think as Ladybug. For now the two are just partners who are becoming good friends as Adrien forgives Ladybug and Marinette learns to appreciate Chat’s eccentric behavior. 

_“Ladrien doesn’t fit.”_

I’ve had a comment of this sort on both FF.net and AO3 (usually followed by a request for MariChat), so I want to discuss the Ladrien up to the present. 

In some ways I would agree and other ways disagree. I agree that Ladrien is the most awkward part of the love square for both of them because the feelings are mutual, so they both get flustered around each other, and it therefore causes the most problems. However, I would argue that at this point none of the sides “fit.” In canon, Ladybug has no interest in Chat Noir, Adrien only likes Marinette as a friend and Mari can’t even talk to him half of the time, and Marinette and Chat Noir have neutral feelings for one another based on how their alter egos perceive them. Without development on all sides and a reveal, none of the sides work because they are still lying to each other about half of who they are. 

I incorporated Ladrien first for several reasons. First, it has the most potential to happen. Adrien likes Ladybug and she likes him. Simple as that. Secondly, it was necessary for them to move out of the fantasy stage. What I mean by that is both parties are putting the other on a pedestal. They worship each other, or rather, the image that they’ve painted of the other person. Neither of them really know much about the other on more than a surface level, which can be argued for any part of the square. So, I dove into Ladrien and used it as an opening to deconstruct the fantasy and build back a reality for them. The ending of their relationship shattered the perfect image they had both created in that Ladybug broke Adrien’s (and Chat Noir’s) heart. In his eyes she is no longer perfect, and he’s discovering that that’s okay. Similarly, Marinette feels she has ruined her chances of being with Adrien because if he ever found out who she really was, he would know that she was the one who broke his heart and shattered the dream for both of them. It forces them to grow up and move past the flustered, schoolyard crush and develop something deeper and more meaningful. 

_“Is Adrien using Marinette for rebound?”_

This came up on AO3 after I posted chapter six, and it is something I have considered. In a sense, you could argue that he is at first, albeit unintentionally. Mari is nice, he knows her, and she reminds him of Ladybug ( ~~I can’t fathom why~~ ). He’s just lost the love of his life and was feeling down, and who was the first person to smile at him and help him? Marinette. ( ~~more so out of her own guilt~~ ) Thus, when he decides to move on and pursue someone “normal,” Mari is the first girl he considers, and you can argue while he’s still hung up on Ladybug that he is rebounding to Marinette; however, once he finds closure with Ladybug, his feelings for Marinette remain, and at the point they are at now(in chapter 10) it’s been about two months since they broke up(by the end of chapter 11/12 it will have been 3 months), and he’s moved on from Ladybug and focused on Marinette. It all boils down to the way I’ve spun Adrien. He’s a sheltered kid whose father pays little attention to emotionally. He wants to love and to be loved in return. He wants to be normal. When it comes to love he perceives the other person as being perfect, which is a delusion a lot of people fall into when falling in love in that they tend to overlook flaws which is often why relationships fall apart as the glamour fades and they become aware that the other person is human too. ( ~~Infatuation vs true love as it were)~~  This is a problem Adrien and Marinette are both learning to deal with. 

Arguably, you could say he worships Marinette in a sense, or more so, worships her life. She has two parents who love her and listen to her. She has lots of friends. She’s upbeat and happy, and she does her best to help others, something he desperately needs in his life. As you will see in chapter ten, Adrien has put Marinette on a pedestal which crumbles throughout the chapter and he’s forced to accept that she is human and makes mistakes. His feelings for her are still growing, and he’s still learning about how the world works.  ~~(I mean, they’re like 15 guys, did you have it all figured out at 15? I didn’t~~ ) They both are still learning how to love and how to be loved, and how to handle problems that arise from love as most people are at their age. 

So, is he using her for rebound? Yes and no. In essence, yes, he is relying on her emotionally after his breakup, but his intentions aren’t malicious or shallow, just inexperienced and uncertain because of his background. Teenage love is often fleeting ( ~~as a psychology major I could spend time explaining why based on brain development and function, but I’ll save that for another day~~ ), and emotions like love and anger burn hot and quick until they learn how to control them and how to understand them which is where Adrien and Mari are right now. 

 

_“When will Mari/Adrien confess their love for each other?”_

Soon. Very soon. Also, not so soon. You’ll understand soon.

 

_In regards to LGBTQ+ relationships in LC_

I would like to add a few disclaimers and ask that you bear with me here. I don’t often tend to post my political affiliations/beliefs on the Intersphere for a variety of reasons, mainly because when I come on the Internet I have more interest in being entertained by simple things like cat gifs and memes, and I feel like a lot of things get misconstrued on the internet and then people get butthurt, and that’s not really what I’m here for. Even in real life my goal is to never let people be able to guess my affiliations cause they are my own for my own personal reasons that I have researched and thought out for myself as a free thinking individual, and it’s unlikely that any amount of someone else screaming their beliefs at me is going to change my beliefs cause I’m pretty sure and comfortable in them. Where are you going with this, Emily? What does this have to do with the Ladybubs and Cat Nerd? 

I got a comment on AO3 (and this is in no way me calling this person out or anything, it just brought up a point and I feel it needed more of an explanation than what I gave in my reply) because I had Marinette/Alya and Marinette/Lila tagged in the relationships tag when I very clearly haven’t set any precedence for any possibility of a romance between said characters and how it seemed like “a false positive for gay girls looking for representation.” (I didn’t realize at the time that AO3 had specific tags for platonic relationships, so there was some confusion there that was my fault for not reading the rules), and I wanna talk a bit about the possibility of homosexual relationship representation for a bit. Cause I feel you. As an individual studying psychology, I understand that, as humans, we all seek things and people to relate to as a method of discovering things about ourselves and feeling validated. So, first, let me say, boo-boo I hear you. Now let me explain, and, again, these are my personal opinions and you are free to agree or disagree.

For this fic, Marinette won’t be romantically involved with anyone but Adrien (and I now have appropriate tags on AO3 to represent this, again my bad) So, if you were hoping to see her with someone else, sorry. Now, that begs the question of will there be LGBTQ+ relationships? Long story short: Yes.  ~~(feel free to skip the next several paragraphs if that satisfies you~~ )

I’ve barely scratched the surface of character development and relationship development of this story. It’s three parts long and I haven’t even finished part one yet. I like to take things slow. Now, this is where things will get a bit personal opinion-y and politcal-y so, if that’s not the internet you signed up for, then I’ll see you cool cats later. Cause I’m going to explain my creative process a bit to you guys. 

When I’m planning a story, whether it be fanfiction or original content, I consider a lot of things. Relationships being one of those, and not always just romantic ones. That being said, I have considered some LGBTQ+ relationships for Lady du Couer, and have some planned for later. The complaint was about representation, and I’ll explain to you how I feel about any sort of representation in media.

 As a creator, I’m not the type of person to just throw something into a story unprecedented just to appease a group of people. Not all of my works will feature major LGBTQ+ relationships because I consider, particularly for fanfiction, what has been presented in canon and how much freedom I’m choosing to give myself. I’ve seen it done in media before where these relationships were thrown in kind of out of the blue and to me it seems like appeasement representation. It’s basically saying, “Oh, the queers are screaming again, let’s shut them up.” And I don’t believe in doing that. Cause you guys deserve better than that. If I’m going to include any homosexual relationships among major characters, it’s going to be meaningful and I’m going to develop it just as I would develop the rest of the heterosexual relationships. I’m not just going to throw it in there just so I can say, “Hey, look, I made these two characters gay for no reason other than to make you guys feel good about yourselves.” No, I’m going to develop those characters and their relationships and make them mean something more than just “representation.” And sometimes, for some stories, I won’t have a homosexual couple because either A. I didn’t feel like any of the couples or characters presented seemed to swing that way, which is a matter of interpretation, or B. it’s not the way I’m going for that particular plot line or character development. For this particular fic, I've tried to stick to constructs set up in canon while taking artistic liberties to develop the plot I've created. Nothing against you guys, but I will include them when I see fit. Same thing with any heterosexual couple. I wouldn’t have included DJWifi if I didn’t think they would work or didn’t think they had chemistry or something to offer the story. Hopefully that makes sense and doesn’t sound bigoted cause I'm bad at explaining things which is another reason I don't usually talk about it cause it makes sense in my head but not always out loud. This is mostly about major characters here (the ones who get more development than like a couple lines of dialog.) What goes on among background characters unless I explicitly say something about it is up to you guys.

 Long story endless: I will be including a couple LGBTQ+ relationships in Lady du Coeur (one amongst minor/background characters, which I have kind of already presented just unofficially, and one between two more important characters, which will start its development in part two), and I want to do them justice just like I want to do any character relationship justice. I’m not in the business of half-assing when I write. If the only reason you’re reading my fic is because I had Marinette/Alya or Marinette/Lila tags (which I have since fixed), and you were hoping for romance between them, then, sorry, my fic probably isn’t for you. If you’re only here for the possibility of homosexual relationships, I’ll see you in part three in about 4-6 months. This isn’t me yelling or complaining or soap-boxing, this is just me telling ya how it is for me. If you don’t like it, that’s fine. We can still be friends. I’m not offended if you don’t like my work or if you disagree with my opinions cause I believe in freedom of thought and speech, and all of us have opinions and are free to have opinions. These are just mine. And at the end of the day, I’m telling a story, and how I choose to tell that story is up to me. If you’re not happy with the story I’m telling, don’t read it. 

Anyway, that's all I have to say for now. I'll probably include these every now and then when I get questions just to touch base with you guys cause not all of you tumblr. See you guys in a few days with chapter ten if you're still with me. :)

 


	10. The Ten Year War

Chapter Ten: The Ten Year War

            Chloe laid on her terrace, basking in the summer sunlight in her yellow and white bikini, her bff holding her glass of lemonade in the chair beside her on the off chance that she got thirsty. She let out a self-satisfied sigh as she looked out over the edge of the balcony at the poor unfortunate people below, rushing to and from their jobs like little ants. How horrible their lives must be having to work so hard for so little.

            When her phone rang, she waved lazily for Sabrina to pass it to her even though it was sitting on the table to her right.

“Daddy! Thank goodness you called, I ordered lunch 20 minutes ago, and the lazy room service hasn’t brought it yet!” She complained, examining her manicure.

            “Chloe, pumpkin, listen. There’s something I need to tell you.”

            Information traveled fast in Paris, and the scandal hit every news station by that evening: Mayor Bourgeois caught laundering money from hotel guests in exchange for political favors. Chloe had never been so ashamed to be associated with him before.

            In the course of a week, her life changed for the worst. Within 24 hours, the hotel was shut down and all staff dismissed. Within 48 hours, most of their property was repossessed. Within 3 days, they were forced to sell most of what they had left just to afford a room at the hotel up the street, only a four star, much to their disdain. By the end of the week, Mayor Bourgeois was forced to resign from his office and give up the hotel.

            Chloe sat on the bed of their tiny hotel room, curled into a ball. She had no cell phone, no designer clothes, no anything. She hugged her knees to her chest as her stomach growled, a sensation she wasn’t used to putting up with. Her father was out making arrangements, job hunting – Chloe shuddered at the thought – and hopefully, bringing home something for dinner. She stared at the TV with tired eyes while she waited.

            “More evidence found on the Bourgeois scandal-” Chloe flipped the channel.

            “Tonight at 5, the scoop on former Mayor-” She clicked off the TV and buried her face in a pillow.

            She missed her bed and her room. Her phone and free room service whenever she wanted. Sabrina had distanced herself from Chloe now that she no longer had leverage to control her. She was alone, and it sucked.

            After sometime, she didn’t know how long, forever, her father finally returned with an apologetic wince, a look she was becoming familiar with as a sign that he didn’t have good news.

            “I wasn’t able to find us a place to stay, you’d think these people would be honored to sell a house to the former mayor! Unfortunately, that means we will be here for a while longer,” He sighed.

            “Did you bring any food?” She asked bluntly, patience wearing thin. He presented her with a small paper bag with a couple loaves of bread.

            “It’s all we can afford until we get settled, I’m afraid,” He said looking away sadly.

            Chloe turned the bag over in her hands as she took a bite of one of the loaves, examining the insignia on the side. Vaguely, she felt like she had seen it somewhere before, but she didn’t care at this point. It was food.

            “Your little friend from school’s parents were extremely kind, unlike all of the other businesses I went to today. What was her name again?” He tapped his chin in thought. Slowly, the gears in her brain kicked into place, and she flipped the bag over once more, remembering where she had seen that logo before.

            _Marinette._

            Chloe shoved the bag away from her as if she’d been electrocuted, a piercing scream erupting from her lungs. Had she actually just eaten Marinette’s peasant food and liked it? She threw herself against the pillow and sobbed uncontrollably for hours, refusing to be consoled despite her father’s best efforts.

            After sometime, her eyelids grew heavy from crying, and she felt exhaustion tugging at her consciousness. She wondered how her life had become such a nightmare in such a short period of time. If only her father hadn’t been so careless, she could be soaking in her diamond encrusted bathtub right now!

            She sank further into the sheets, refusing to open her eyes. If she opened them, she would have to accept reality as it was, so instead, she gave into sleep, praying that she would wake up from this nightmare in her own bed in the morning.

Adrien

            “I never thought I would live to see the day…” Nino started dramatically. “That the wretched queen herself would get dethroned…Might I propose a toast to justice, God, and the bitch that is karma and thank them for this gift to society! May Chloe spend the rest of her life in poverty!”

            “I’ll toast to that!” Alya cheered as she, Nino, and Marinette clanked glasses of sparkling cider together in celebration, the news cast of Mayor Bourgeois’ resignation playing in the background.

            “We should share Chloe horror stories and revel in the fact that she’s finally getting what she deserves! I’ll go first,” Marinette grinned widely.

            Adrien slumped on the couch beside her, swirling his drink around in the glass. Somehow the Chloe bashing party didn’t feel right to him, and seeing his friends so fired up and… _happy_ that she lost everything made him feel sick.

            Sure, Chloe was a menace, but she was also the first friend he’d ever had. Did she deserve to be knocked down a peg? Sure, but not like this. Mr. Bourgeois essentially blackballed himself in Paris and much like himself, they had no real idea how to function in normal society. They had nothing and no one, and he didn’t feel that anyone deserved that.

            “Yo, Adrien, you’ve known Chloe for a while. I bet you have tons of stories!” Nino prompted with a wide grin. Did he have stories about childhood tantrums? Yes, plenty. Did he feel that now was the time to share them?

            “Don’t you guys think you’re being too harsh?” He winced. They all froze and turned to look at him with incredulous expressions.

            “Too harsh? You have met Chloe, right?” Alya scoffed.

            “I-I just don’t think it’s right to celebrate someone’s downfall like this,” He rubbed the back of his neck.

            “Adrien, she put gum in my hair in first grade and was the reason I had to cut all of it off,” Mari folded her arms over her chest, lips puckered in an angry pout. “I looked adorable with short hair, but that’s beside the point.”

            “She also pushed you off that slide and knocked your front teeth out,” Nino pointed out.

            “Like a whole year before they were supposed to come out! I had to wear a retainer for five years!” She added.

            “I’m not arguing that she’s a good person, I just don’t think anyone deserves to lose everything,” He said defensively.

            “Dude, if you’re so worried, why don’t you go hang out with her instead?” Nino grunted. Adrien’s jaw clenched, and he stood up abruptly.

            “Maybe I will,” He headed for the door. “Enjoy your party.” He grumbled on the way out.

            As he stalked up the street grumpily, he felt a twinge of regret. Was Chloe worth losing his friends over? Worth losing Mari? He knew the answer, and it only made him angrier. How could someone so sweet be such a…jerk! Chloe was mean and shallow, but if Mari prided herself on being such a good friend to people, how could she celebrate someone’s failure?

            “You stood up to the missus, I see,” Plagg applauded scornfully.

            “I’m not against it when she’s wrong,” He replied pursing his lips.

            “So what if she’s a little pleased that the rich girl got what was coming to her? It’s not like those two ever got along,” Plagg reminded him.

            “I guess. I know Chloe’s always been mean to her, but I guess I empathize with her a little. I couldn’t imagine waking up one day and having everything taken from me,” He grimaced. “I mean, I don’t expect Marinette to all of a sudden be her best friend, but she could be a little nicer about everything.”

            “I think you’re expecting way too much. C’mon, a little hatred is healthy,” Plagg insisted with a mischievous grin.

            Adrien didn’t bother responding, and he really should have known better than to confide in him. Maybe he was expecting too much out of Mari because Plagg was right, she and Chloe never got along. Even still, he wasn’t quite sure what to do. She helped him when he was lost, and if she helped Chloe then maybe…maybe things could change for them. Maybe Chloe would change.

            He paused outside the hotel where they were staying, debating his next move. Would she want to see him? Probably not, but he wanted her to know that he still cared. As a friend.

            “Excuse me, can you tell me what room the Bourgeois are staying in?” He asked at the front desk.

            “Who’s asking?” The woman cocked a brow. “They’ve requested not to be disturbed.”

            “Can you call and ask? Tell her it’s Adrien,” He requested sweetly, using the best of his charm to sway her. The woman pursed her lips for a moment before picking up the phone and dialing.

            “There’s a young man here requesting to see you,” She explained.

            “I don’t want to see anyone!” Adrien heard her shout from the other end. She went quiet for a moment before adding, “Who is it?”

            “Says his name is Adrien…” She turned to him for a last name, but Chloe had already hung up. The receptionist shrugged and set the phone back on the receiver.

            “That’s okay. Thanks anyway,” He waved, pushing away from the counter with a sigh as the elevator dinged and slid open to reveal Chloe standing in lounge clothes.

            “Adri…en?” She said in disbelief. She looked awful, but he wasn’t going to say so out loud.

            “Hey, Chlo,” He winced, waving slightly as she stepped toward him slowly as if she expected him to disappear at any moment. “How have you been?”

            She reached out to touch him, eyes watering as her hand came to rest on his arm. Once she’d asserted that he was really there, she threw herself into his arms, her loud sobs filling the lobby.

            “Everything is terrible!” She whined, soaking his shirt with her tears. He attempted to console her to no avail, so instead he pulled her back to the elevator and pressed the button to close the doors.

            “What floor are you on?” He asked gently.

            “Five,” She sniffled.

            “Okay,” He clicked the button and rubbed her back, and she laid her head on his shoulder. Normally he’d protest such intimacy from her, but given the circumstances, he allowed it. “How are you guys faring?”

            “Horribly! We’re stuck in this nasty hotel because no one wants to hire my dad or sell him a house, and I have to sit around all day waiting on him,” She complained, folding her arms over her chest.

            “What about Sabrina? Can’t you stay with-”

            “Don’t even mention that freeloader to me! As soon as our wealth dried up, she dumped me and ran for the hills.”

            “Well, you were pretty mean to her.” He said pointedly.

            “She should have been grateful that I let her do my homework. I did so much for her socially and for her awful sense of fashion!” Adrien suppressed an eye roll.

            “What are you going to do now?” He asked. “You don’t have anyone to do your homework.”

            “Don’t push me, Adrikins. I’ve had a long two weeks,” She pushed his nose away, and he smiled as they reached the door he presumed to be theirs. Chloe patted her pants in search of her room key.

            “Left it in the room?” He cocked a brow.

            “Ugh!” She growled, kicking the door in frustration. “I hate this stupid hotel! I want my bed and my clothes and my phone!”

            Adrien pulled her away before she did any real damage to the door and held her once again as she broke into another fit of tears. She truly was a sight for sore eyes from crying so much, her eyes puffy and skin dull and lifeless.

            “Come on,” He took her hand and led her back to the elevator.

            “Where are we going?” She croaked.

            “Out. My treat,” He winked.

            “No! I can’t go out like this!” She pulled back, and Adrien stopped the door from closing between them with his arm.

            “We can buy you new clothes while we’re out, now come one,” He held out a hand to her with a kind smile, and after a moment of hesitation, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her into the elevator.

            “Don’t take me to the department store, okay?” She pleaded, hugging his arm.

            “What do I look like, a savage?” He raised a brow, and Chloe laughed.

            “Thanks for this…” She said quietly as they reached the lobby. “It’s nice to know I still have one friend.”

            “Nah, you’ll never get rid of me,” He teased before hailing a cab. He opened the door for her politely and helped her inside. Once he slipped in beside her, she curled up against him again, reattaching to his arm and resting her head on his shoulder for the duration of the car ride to the famous boutique Chloe frequented.

            Adrien let her roam free, seeing some light return to her face as she browsed through the racks. Once she’d found an outfit sufficient to her taste, she changed in the dressing room while Adrien footed the bill.

            Next they hit up her favorite day spa where Adrien treated her to the whole experience: mud baths, facials, mani-pedis, and a hot stone massage. Once she was finished, she seemed much more relaxed than before which was his main goal.

            “I really needed that,” She sighed contently.

            “Good, I’m glad,” He folded his arms over his chest with a smile. Her stomach growled loudly, and she clutched her abdomen with a grimace.

            “Hungry?” He cocked a brow.

            “I’ve been living off of Marinette’s stupid bread for a week,” She grumbled. That would explain her skin, not that he was going to mention it.

            “I’ll buy you lunch,” He offered politely.

            “Can we get sushi?” She requested quietly.

            “Of course,” He laughed.

            Adrien felt sorry for her as he watched her try and restrain herself throughout the meal. He could tell she was starving, but didn’t dare say anything about it. In the back of his mind, he knew his friends would give him hell for doing this, but it was the right thing to do in his mind, so he really didn’t care what they had to say. Mari had Lila, so he was allowed to be friends with Chloe if he wanted.

            “So, have you thought about maybe being nicer to people now that you can’t control them?” He asked with a playful smirk, though there was an air of caution in his tone. Her gaze flicked up to him, eyes narrowing.

            “Why? No one has been nice to me,” She grunted.

            “Why don’t you make this a turning point? Change. Maybe apologize to some people you’ve hurt,” He suggested.

            “I’ve never hurt anyone in my life,” She scoffed in offence, and Adrien gave her a look.

            “Look, all I’m saying is people might be more willing to help you if you’re nice,” He sighed. “Maybe you should try and turn over a new leaf with some people.”

            “Like who?”

            “I-I dunno, maybe Rose or Kim or…Marinette-”

            “Marinette?” Her eyes narrowed into a glare.

            “Yeah, she’s super nice, and-”

            “Marinette is just an attention-seeking wannabe,” She growled.

            “H-Hey, I don’t think-”

            “And have you seen what she wears? And she thinks she can make it as a fashion designer, puh-lease,” She rolled her eyes.

            “See? This is exactly what I’m talking about. Marinette is incredibly nice and supportive, and you’re always mean to her for no reason,” He chided, but he soon came to regret it.

            “No reason?” She scoffed. “And here I thought you hadn’t been fooled by her nice girl act, but I guess I was wrong.”

            “Chloe,” He sighed. “What are you talking about?”

            “She is such a fake! She’s only nice to people for attention. She plays all cute and innocent so people will like her, but deep down she’s hideous and cruel!” She spat. “Though she is hideous on the outside too.”

            “What makes you say that?” His eyebrows furrowed.

            “Have you seen her? Her hair is a tragedy, and those freckles, ugh-”

            “No, not that…” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “About her being fake.”

            “Oh, that,” She grunted. “I tried being nice to people once before, in kindergarten. I gave Nathanael the opportunity to paint me, but Marinette pulled him away to join _her_ game with all the other children and left me with no one.”

            “Chloe, that was forever ago!” Adrien shook his head with a laugh.

            “It didn’t stop there!” She snapped. “She’s always done it! Every time I try to befriend someone, Marinette always butts in with her stupid innocent routine and takes them from me! So I’ve been fighting back,” She folded her arms over her chest.

            “Somehow, I know you really believe that, and I think you should know she doesn’t do it on purpose.”

            “Doesn’t she?” Chloe snapped. “From the looks of it, she’s stolen you from me too.”

            “Chloe, I can be friends with both of you,” He rolled his eyes which only riled her more.

            “No! You can’t, Adrien. It’s me or her.”

            “That’s not fair, Chlo.”

            “Don’t call me that, you traitor!” She stood up, hands balled into trembling fists at her sides.

            “Calm down, you’re making a scene,” He held up cautious hands, glancing around at the staring customers.

            “Tell me you’re not friends with her.” She demanded.

            “Chloe,” He pleaded.

            “Say it!” She shouted.

            “No!” He stood and stared down at her defiantly. She took a step back, eyes watering and lips stretching into a thin, wavering line before she rushed out of the restaurant. Adrien groaned, slapping more than enough to cover the bill on the table before chasing after her.

            “Stay away from me!” She sobbed, curling into a ball on the sidewalk.

            “Chloe, you’re being ridiculous.” He sighed, breaking the last straw of her patience.

            “Marinette and I will _never_ be friends,” She glared up at him as tears rolled down her cheeks. “I hate her! I hate her! I _hate_ her!” She screeched, pushing away his attempts to comfort her.

            “Okay… _Okay_!” He snapped as she repeated the phrase over and over. “Come on. Let’s get you back to the hotel.”

            “I can make it myself!” She ripped her hand away. “Go be with Marinette.”

            “Chloe-”

            “Goodbye, Adrien,” She growled stalking up the street angrily, leaving Adrien standing dejectedly on the sidewalk, and he actually empathized with her because now everyone hated him too.

Chloe

            She’d been wrong before when she said she had nothing. As she stalked through the streets the next day, she thought about the previous day’s argument with Adrien. Marinette had taken him now too, and she was truly and utterly alone. She truly had nothing now.

            Her life was over. Completely and officially. She had no friends, no money, and now her father was forcing her to do the unspeakable. She recalled her conversation with him prior to leaving the hotel bitterly.

            _Sweetheart, things are really hard right now. If you want to eat real food, you’re going to have to get a job._

            Disgusting! How could he expect her to work because he was a failure? Working was the number one thing she despised. Besides, no one in their right mind would hire either of them right now. If only her mother was still alive. She could have stopped him from being so selfish and ruining everything!

            Her stomach growled, a sensation she was growing used to these days. She thought of lunch with Adrien the day before longingly, but irritation quickly set in again. How could he betray her like that? She was his oldest friend, his _best_ friend, and he picked that demon over her? After all she’d done for him. Before her father’s supreme blunder, they were practically an item.

            The smell of bread made her stomach lurch desperately, and she looked up to see Mr. Dupain standing outside the open bakery door, stretching his limbs and breathing in the fresh air. As hungry as she was, she couldn’t be caught dead buying anything from them. Especially by Marinette.

            “Ah, good afternoon, Chloe, right?” Mr. Dupain spotted her and offered a big smile.

            _Crap._

            “Yeah.” She replied curtly, though he didn’t seem to notice.

            “You look like you could use some lunch. Can I get you anything?” His eyebrows furrowed. She patted her pocket where only a few precious euros remained and glanced away.

            “I’m fine,” She grumbled.

            “Nonsense, your father has been coming here a lot lately, and I know things are hard. I’ll fix you a sandwich, on the house,” He insisted.

            “I-I don’t want to trouble you,” She stiffened, but he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her inside.

            “It’s no trouble at all. Honey? Miss Bourgeois could use one of your famous ham sandwiches!” He called loudly causing Chloe to flinch. If Marinette saw her, she would die of shame. Tom seemed to sense her discomfort and laughed. “Don’t worry, Marinette’s over at Alya’s for the day.” He reassured her as Mrs. Cheng came around the corner.

            “Oh my, come on up, sweetie. You look like you could use more than a sandwich,” She gasped, beaconing her upstairs. She shifted uncomfortably and followed her. It was her first time being inside their house.

            “Just make yourself at home,” Sabine smiled, taking control of the small kitchen.

            Chloe glanced around stiffly, examining the room with a curious expression. It was smaller than her old suite, but it was…quaint. She took a seat at the table, folding her hands in her lap as Sabine cooked. Soon the room filled with the smell of seasoned meat and vegetables, making Chloe’s mouth water. How had she fallen so low?

            “Is there anything we can do for you, dear?” She asked after a while. Chloe stared down at her lap.

            “Why are you being so nice? I’m sure Marinette has told you we don’t get along,” She asked bluntly.

            “The feud between you girls is between the two of you. I only see an impressionable young girl who could use a hot meal,” Sabine replied simply. “I think you could use a little kindness after everything you’ve been through.”

            Chloe’s eyes burned, and she blinked to hold back tears. She’d never felt like that before. No one had ever been kind to her unless they were being paid. It was nice. Especially when she wrapped an arm around Chloe’s shoulders while she wiped away tears.

            “I-I can’t pay you,” She hiccupped after a while, and Sabine patted her gently before resuming cooking.

            “I don’t expect you to,” She laughed. “Kindness is free.” She placed a bowl of rice and vegetables in front of her with a warm smile that reminded Chloe of her own mother.

            “Thank you,” She blinked slowly, picking up the spoon and taking a mouthful of the steaming rice.

            Sabine worked on the dishes while she ate in silence, trying not to scarf down the dish. It was one of the best meals she’d ever eaten, not that she’d ever admit that out loud. How far she’d fallen in such a short amount of time.

            “Having any luck on the job search?” Sabine asked once she’d finished cleaning. On a curious look from Chloe, she added, “We’ve been giving your father leftover bread for a week, and he mentioned having you find work to help pay for food.”

            “No one’s really hiring,” She mumbled.

            “Why don’t you help out here?” Chloe’s head snapped up in awe.

            “R-Really?” She gaped before realization set in. Marinette would love it if she worked there, being able to boss her around. “I-I can’t.”

            “Don’t worry about Marinette,” Sabine smiled knowingly. “We’ll pay you, you can take home leftovers at the end of the day, and I’ll feed you a home cooked meal every day that you work.”

            “I…” She bit her lip nervously.

            “Think about it tonight and talk to your father. If you’re interested just stop by anytime,” She patted her shoulder.

            “Thank you,” She blushed.

            “Of course, dear,” She smiled. “Now, let me fix you something to take home.”

Adrien

            Two days passed before he heard anything from Marinette. He hadn’t tried to see her or Chloe, figuring they both wanted nothing to do with him until he received a text from Mari.

            _Alya and Nino are on a date, and there’s a movie marathon on. You in?_

            His heart pounded wildly in his chest as he typed a quick reply. He didn’t want to sound too eager even though he was dying to see her. Play it cool, casual.

            _Yeah._ He typed, starting at it a moment before deciding it was too clipped, too short. The process repeated until Plagg got annoyed reading over his shoulder.

            “Just send it!” He groaned, diving down and pressing send.

            “Plagg, hey!” He gasped, staring anxiously at the response.

            _Sure :)_ It read, and as the ellipses popped up on her end, he held his breath.

            _Cool. See you in a bit._

            He exhaled and fell back on his couch. Why couldn’t he text her like a normal person without getting flustered? Is this what she was like with him all year? It was miserable.

            “Are you going out then?” Plagg whined.

            “Yep,” Adrien replied, sitting back up. “And don’t whine, you’re the one who hit send.”

            “I’d rather hide in your shirt all day than watch you panic over one text again,” He grumbled, slipping into Adrien’s collar. On his way out, he passed his father on the stairs.

            “Are you going to see Miss Dupain-Cheng?” He asked calmly, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

            “Uh, yeah…” He paused apprehensively.

            “Very well. Have fun.” He nodded without stopping. Adrien crept away slowly, still weirded out by his father’s acceptance of Marinette.

            “See you later,” He called up awkwardly.

            Once at Marinette’s house, he took a deep breath before entering. She wouldn’t invite him over if she was angry, would she? No. Of course she wouldn’t.

            “Hey!” She smiled when she opened the door.

            “Hey,” He shoved his hands in his pockets nervously.

            “Come on, _Attack of the Werecats_ just started,” She pulled him in, easing his doubts about their argument earlier in the week. Mari was forgiving, and his only hope was that he could convince her to forgive Chloe as well.

            “So, you guys don’t hate me?” He winced as they situated themselves on the couch with a bowl of popcorn.

            “No…” Marinette’s eyebrows furrowed as she shoved a few kernels in her mouth. “We actually kind of thought you hated us.”

            Of course they did.

            “So you aren’t mad at me for defending Chloe?”

            “Haven’t you always sort of done that?” She cocked a brow. Adrien had to admit, she had a point.

            “I guess,” He sighed. “I just don’t think it’s right to kick her while she’s down.”

            “That’s Chloe’s life motto, Adrien. Can you blame us for wanting revenge?” She grunted.

            “I just think society has given her enough grief lately, and I-I dunno, I guess, I expected more from you.”

            “What’s _that_ supposed to mean?” Her eyes narrowed.

            “You were nice to Lila after everything that she did, so I guess I expected you to take the high road here.”

            “What and be her friend?” She gagged. “Pass.”

            “I’m not asking you to be her friend right away, but at least be nice-”

            “Be nice?” Her eyebrows raised in disbelief. “Look, I get it. Chloe worships you, so you think there’s some shred of goodness inside of her, but I’m going to give you a healthy dose of reality: She’s evil. She doesn’t care about anyone but herself,” Her voice rose in volume as she worked herself up.

            “Mari-”

            “In second grade, after I finally grew my hair back out from the gum incident, she cut off one of my braids.”

            “Okay, I get it-”

            “In third grade, I wore a brand new dress the first day of school that my grandmother sent me from China for my birthday, and Chloe poured grape juice on it!”

            “Alright. Enough-”

            “Fourth grade, she took my lunch every day. Not because she wanted to eat it, but because she wanted to throw it at me! So don’t you dare say that you _expect_ me to show that monster one ounce of decency!” Her fists shook at her side, angry tears welling in her eyes. “Every year she finds some new way to torture me, and never once has she felt any guilt for it. She’s selfish and cruel and nasty, and I couldn’t care less if she dropped off the face of the planet!”

            “Fine!” Adrien shouted over her. “Fine! Okay? She’s terrible and you hate her. Stupid me for thinking you had any kindness to spare for her. I was wrong. Are you happy? Cause ya know what? She hates your guts too.”

            “Adrien-” Mari tried, but it was his turn now.

            “Ya know, she hates me now too because I tried to do the same thing to her, thinking maybe I can fix you two, but you are so bent on hating each other and making each other miserable that you’ve never considered what would happen if both of you just stopped!” Marinette glanced away, lips forming a firm line as she held off tears.

            “I guess I was right. You do hate me.” She sniffled, running a hand across her cheek to catch a tear before it fell. “I guess Chloe isn’t the only monster you have to put up with.”

            “Mari, no-”

            “Just go,” She turned her back on him.

            “Mari, I’m sor-”

            “Go!”

            Adrien stood slowly while her shoulders shook, her face falling into her hands while she quietly sobbed. He longed to reach out to her, to hold her, but he knew it would only make things worse. So he walked away quietly, hesitating briefly at the door.

            “Mari, is Chloe really worth losing our friendship over?” He asked quietly, gripping the door handle. She continued to weep for a long time, and he worried that she hadn’t heard until she finally spoke up.

            “I guess she is.”

Alya

            “Okay, but what if- ah, hold on, Marinette’s calling,” She held up her finger to hold that thought as she answered. “Hello-”

            “Alya!” She held the phone away from her ear as Marinette howled incoherently on the other end. She turned to Nino with a sigh as if to say this would take a while.

            “Okay, M, hey, slow down. What happened?” She soothed as Nino’s phone buzzed. “What about Adrien?”

            “Trouble in paradise it seems,” Nino sighed. “Text from Adrien.”

            “What’s it say?” Alya whispered, putting her hand over the receiver while Marinette continued her wailing.

            “I ruined everything with Marinette.”

            “Oh boy,” Alya pinched the bridge of her nose. “Looks like we’ll have to reschedule our date.”

            “It’s fine. Go be with your girl; I’ll go check on Adrien,” Nino shrugged as if it couldn’t be helped and pecked her forehead lightly before heading back up the street, pressing the phone to his ear.

            “Mari, hey, I’ll be over in a little while, okay?” She offered gently.

            “Wha…bout...or…da…” Mari sobbed.

            “Don’t worry about my date. I’ll be over there in five minutes, okay?”

            “Don’ ‘ang up!”

            “I won’t,” She rolled her eyes, listening to more of her friend’s blubbering as she walked. “Look, I’m at your front door, I’ll be up in a minute.”

            “Okay…” She whimpered pathetically as Alya hung up and hopped up the stairs. The things she did for her friends. As soon as she reached the top, Marinette pulled open the door and threw herself into Alya’s arms.

            “Okay, hi, let’s go sit,” She winced, pulling Marinette back inside and collapsing onto the couch where Marinette continued to weep loudly into her shirt. “Now, what happened?”

            “A…ri…en…ha…me!” She hiccupped between syllables.

            “Shh, Adrien what?” Alya rubbed her back.

            “Hates me!”

            “Oh, I’m sure that’s not true,” She cooed. “Did he say that?”

            “No…” She mumbled.

            “See?”

            “Bu…he…old…me…he…”

            “Okay, I’m really gonna need you to speak clearly,” Alya interjected. “What happened?”

            Marinette recounted everything that happened with Adrien somewhat coherently while Alya rubbed her back sympathetically. Afterward she bawled into her friend’s shirt for a long time until Alya finally spoke up.

            “I don’t think Adrien meant to be so harsh, M,” She smoothed her hair once she’d calmed down a little.

            “He yelled at me,” She squeaked softly.

            “You yelled at him too,” Alya reminded her.

            “I know!” She whined.

            “Look, it’s your first real fight. Give it time, and cool down a little then talk to him. I’m sure you two will work things out.”

            “Really?”

            “Really.”

            Marinette finally sat up, wiping a hand across her face. Her makeup had run onto her cheeks, leaving black smudges under her eyes, so Alya grabbed a tissue and handed it to her with an empathetic smile.

            “Adrien adores you, Mari. You two just need to think about somethings,” She pinched her cheek.

            “He said he was disappointed in me,” Mari frowned, picking at the tissue.

            “Girl, I’ve said worse things to Nino on my period. Adrien’s just not used to seeing his precious bubbly Mari as angry-Marinette.” She waved it away.

            “It’s not like Chloe and I haven’t fought around him before,” Mari fixed her eyes away from her, pouting.

            “No, he’s seen you two fight when Chloe instigates it and you defend yourself. I don’t think he was adequately prepared for how deep you two’s feud runs,” She said pointedly. “Adrien thinks you’re perfect, Mari, so it’s hard for him to see that you’re not. Give him time to think and process.”  

            “Okay…” She sighed. “What do you think I should do about Chloe?”

            “Honestly? If you were nice to her, I’d recommend you get your head scanned, but if you don’t want to get revenge on her, I’ll respect that,” She held up her hands in a gesture of respect. “But if you _want_ to plot revenge, I’m also full of ideas.” Marinette laughed at that and hugged Alya’s neck.

            “You’re the best!” She giggled.

            “Come on. Let’s go nab some sweets from downstairs. You could use a pick-me-up, and we both need some brain fuel,” Alya nudged her.

            “On the bright side, I don’t have to worry about dealing with her for another week,” Marinette sighed as they made their way down to the bakery.

            “Then you hit this button and input the amount they gave you, and it tells you how much change to make,” Mrs. Cheng explained from the front of the bakery. Marinette stopped dead in the doorway where Alya ran into her, but she had a good reason to be stunned.

            “Hi, girls,” Mrs. Cheng greeted with a smile. “I was just showing Chloe how to work the cash register.”

            “Why?” Marinette’s eyes narrowed, and Alya detected the annoyance in her tone.

            “She’s going to be helping out here part-time for a while,” Her mother explained cautiously, a warning look on her face. _Don’t push it._ The look said.

            “ _Why_?” Marinette repeated through gritted teeth.

            “Tom? Can you help Chloe practice making change?” Her mother called sweetly before grabbing Marinette and dragging her into the hall. Alya followed sheepishly.

            “Sweetheart, I know you two don’t get along, but-”

            “Don’t get along? Mom, she’s been mean to me since kindergarten!” Mari growled.

            “All the more reason to help her now. She hasn’t had a lot of good influence in her life, so your father and I agreed to let her help out and give her some proper experience,” Her mother chided. “You don’t have to like her, but she works here now. Leave the drama outside, and suck it up, Marinette.”

            As she stalked back to the front, Alya turned to Marinette with a cocked brow. Her friend was seething, shoulders tensed up with anger and her breaths coming in short ragged huffs.

            “Can I move in with you? My parents have betrayed me,” She grumbled.

            “You’ll have to share a room with my little sister,” Alya laughed.

            “Worth it,” She folded her arms over her chest. “I can’t believe them! After everything she’s done to me!”

            “Hey, girls, can you come help out and pretend to be customers?” Tom called from the front. Marinette rolled her eyes and stomped up front grouchily.

            “Deep breaths,” Alya coached.

            “Now, Chloe, when customers enter, make sure you welcome them,” Sabine prompted. “Be friendly and polite.”

            “Two things you’re not,” Marinette grunted under her breath, and Alya elbowed her, biting back a smile. Chloe glared at them shortly before taking a deep breath.

            “Welcome…” She muttered half-heartedly.

            “Little more enthusiasm,” Tom advised. Chloe’s hands clenched into fists.

            “Welcome, can I help you with anything?” She recited with a forced smile.

            Alya watched her with a thoughtful expression, cooking up a plan in her mind that she knew Marinette was going to love.

            “Um, yeah, do you guys sell any macarons?”  Marinette played along, a sly smile on her lips. Seems like she had a plan of her own.

            “Yes. Over there,” She gestured stiffly, and Marinette followed, eyeing the small pastries skeptically.

            “What flavors do you have?” She asked.

            “Um, it’s printed on the card…” Chloe pointed out as if she were dumb.

            “It’s good to tell them anyways. Don’t make the customer do all the work. There’s a cheat sheet for you right here,” Sabine whispered encouragingly. Chloe took another deep breath and nodded.

            “We have lemon, raspberry, chocolate, pistachio, vanilla, and blueberry.” She read.

            “I want two pistachios. Fresh,” She folded her arms over her chest smugly.

            “Um,” Chloe looked to Sabine for guidance, so she leaned to whisper in her ear. “Everything we sell is baked fresh every day.”

            “Yeah, but, like, I want them _more_ fresh.”

            “Okay, great, you waited around for thirty minutes and got your fresh macarons, now come to the register,” Sabine gave her another stern look.

            “The prices are all here,” Tom pointed to the small card taped to the counter.

            “That’ll be €4.” Chloe said punching in the amount. Marinette handed her a ten with a sly smile.

            “Can I get my change in coins?”

            “Okay, no, you may not,” Sabine cut in. “That’s enough from you.”

            “What? Sometimes we get crazy customers. I wanna make sure she can handle it,” Marinette smirked as her mother shoved her toward the back door. When Alya passed the counter, Chloe’s fists clutched her apron shakily, her jaw tense. It was satisfying to watch her be so powerless.

            “You are horrible, and I love you to death for it!” She chuckled softly as they made their way up the stairs.

            “Ya know, I was mad at first, but I’m kind of in charge of her now. The possibilities are endless.” Mari grinned.

            “That’s the spirit! I got an idea while we were down there,” She tapped her chin in thought. “And I want your input.”

            “Shoot,” Mari encouraged.

            “Okay, here’s what I was thinking.”

Marinette

            A few days later, Chloe seemed to be settling into bakery life…mostly. Tom and Sabine still took care of most things like baking and cleaning, leaving Chloe to help with the customers.

            Marinette and Alya cooked up a plan to torment her, waiting for the day Marinette’s parents would be attending a wedding in the afternoon. D-Day as they called it. She hadn’t heard from Adrien since their fight, nor had she reached out to him, per Alya’s advice. Besides, he would have disagreed with their scheme anyways.

            Everything went according to plan. Chloe showed up for work that morning when her parents broke the news.

            “We’ve got a wedding to attend this afternoon, so if you’d like, you can have some time off,” Sabine explained.

            “Oh…” Chloe looked down.

            “Unless…do you think you can manage by yourself?” Tom asked cautiously.

            “I-I really need the money,” A phrase Marinette never thought she’d hear her say in a million years.

            Her parents exchanged worried looks, silently deliberating between the two of them.

            “Alright. Afternoons are usually slow, and Marinette can help you if you need it, right, honey?” Sabine gave her a stern look.

            “Yeah, yeah,” She rolled her eyes, trying to hide her smirk.

            “Don’t be afraid to close up if we start getting low on things. It’s perfectly okay if you can’t handle it.”

            “I can do it!” Chloe promised desperately. Marinette sent a quick text to Alya.

            _Phase one complete._

            _Perfect >:)_

            As afternoon approached, Tom and Sabine prepared to leave, boxing up the cake delicately and loading it into the van with help from the wedding’s catering staff.

            “Everything should be fine, but don’t hesitate to call us if you need anything, okay?” Sabine fretted.

            “I won’t,” Chloe nodded, spine straightening stiffly.

            “Marinette, you behave and help Chloe if she needs it, do you understand?”

            “Yes, Mom,” She groaned. “Now go! You’re going to be late.”

            Once they drove off, Marinette headed back toward the stairs without a word.

            “What? No comments for me? I’m sure you just love that my life is in ruins,” Chloe huffed. Marinette smirked, putting on her best poker face as she turned back around.

            “Yeah, it’s pretty nice,” She smiled. “I’ll be upstairs if you need anything. Try not to need anything, and we can keep our interactions nice and short.”

            “Whatever,” She grunted, stalking back behind the counter.

            _Phase two complete._

            _Onto Phase Three ;)_

            A knock sounded on the door as she passed to go up the stairs. Odd. She wasn’t expecting anyone.

            “I have a delivery for Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

            “That’s me,” Her eyebrows furrowed.

            “Here you go,” He passed her a bouquet of white tulips then walked away before she could question.

            She eyed them curiously as she headed up the stairs, searching for a card. She found a letter tied to the stems and pulled it free, unwrapping it to reveal Adrien’s perfect cursive.

“An angel found me under trees

Heart torn and oh so lost with grief.

Her radiant smile did heal with ease

My troubled heart, what sweet relief.

My angel raised me from despair,

Her blue-bell eyes so filled with light.

As she stitched my heart once more with care,

She saved me from a painful plight.

Now a sin I fear I must confess

I broke her heart with great regret.

And here I lie a weeping mess,

Just wishing her tears I could forget.

These words are my last desperate plea,

Mari, can you forgive me?”

            “Dammit,” She gasped, cupping a hand over her mouth and sinking to her knees as guilt overcame her.

            “Wow, now that’s an apology,” Tikki gaped.

            “It’s not even his fault. I’m the one who got crazy and mean and- God, I’m just as bad as Chloe,” She hugged her knees to her chest. “I was horrible to him. He’s not the one who should be apologizing.”

            “Ya know, I think your apology would mean more to him if you made peace with Chloe,” Tikki said pointedly. “I know you don’t like her, but Adrien is right. All of this hate isn’t good for you, Marinette.” Marinette considered it awhile, a groan slowly rippling up her throat.

            “Ugh! I hate it when you’re right, Tikki,” She hissed. “Oh no…Alya!”

            She jumped up and ran back downstairs where customers were already starting to gather per Alya’s private interview on the Ladyblog where Ladybug admitted that their bakery was her favorite in all of Paris.

            “What are you going to do? Your revenge scheme is already in full swing,” Tikki whispered.

            “Maybe it doesn’t have to be. I have a plan, and- ugh- I cannot believe I’m doing this,” She sighed, poking her head through the door. “Hey, it’s getting kind of busy. Need any help?”

            “No, I most certainly do not need your help!” She snapped. Marinette’s jaw clenched.

            “Okay, if you say so,” She said through clenched teeth, retreating back upstairs.

            “You have to help her, Marinette! Alya has over a million followers on the Ladyblog!” Tikki chided.

            “I know, and I’m going to when she asks for it. I’m also going to enjoy her suffering just a little bit since she insists on being stubborn.” She smirked, grabbing a magazine and taking place on the bottom stair to wait.

            Ten minutes. That’s how long it took Chloe to cave. She’d just sold the last chocolate chip cookie when the cash register stopped printing receipts. Marinette rolled her eyes as Chloe attempted to fix the problem herself by beating the machine repeatedly, getting more and more flustered when it still didn’t work. Customers were growing impatient as she struggled with it.

            Mari flipped nonchalantly through her magazine for the third time when Chloe finally appeared in the doorway, fists clenched at her sides.

            “Okay, fine,” She hissed. “I could use some help.”

            “I thought you didn’t want my help?” She replied angelically without looking up.

            “I don’t. In fact, I hate it here, but this is all I have right now.”

            “Ask me nicely,” Marinette pressed with a crooked smile.

            “What?” Her eyes narrowed.

            “If you want my help, ask me nicely.” Mari repeated. Chloe seethed with rage, lips forming a tight line. Shakily she moved before Marinette and kneeled down.

            “Please, help me.” She growled quietly.

            “What was that?”

            “Help. Me.” She snapped. “ _Please_.”

            “One more time, I’m not quite sure I heard you,” Mari tilted her head, cupping a hand to her ear.

            “Marinette!” She shrieked. Mari eyed her a moment before opening her magazine again, which only pushed Chloe further.

            “Fine!” She shouted, hugging Marinette’s legs and looking up at her pleadingly. “Please, help me, Marinette.” Her tone was…desperate; Marinette couldn’t deny that.

            Closing her magazine, she stood up and headed into the bakery where a slew of irate customers awaited. Calmly, she pulled open the register and replaced the receipt paper, snapping the machine shut with ease. She moved Chloe back in front of it and flipped the sign on the door to closed then headed back to the kitchen, pulling out the ingredients for cookies.

            Marinette worked quickly, her father’s cookie recipe ingrained in her memory since childhood, moving onto bread once she got them in the oven. The two girls worked together tirelessly, Mari in the kitchen and Chloe at the register until all of the guests in the small shop cleared out, and they both collapsed into an exhausted heap.

            “Thanks…” Chloe mumbled, looking away stubbornly.

            “Don’t thank me. That was my fault,” She sighed.

            “What are you talking about?”

            Marinette winced and pulled up the video on her phone guiltily.

            “Alya and I set it up to get back at you.” She explained.

            “Then why did you help me?” Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

            “Because I realized I was stooping to your level and that continuously fighting with each other isn’t the answer. So…I’m sorry. Can we please move on from this… _war_ between us?”

            “Are you asking to be my friend?” Chloe scoffed. “Gross.”

“As if! Don’t think I’ve forgotten all the ways you’ve terrorized me all these years,” She snapped back. “I’m calling for a cease fire. Can we do that?” Chloe considered it a while, arms folded over her chest and lips pursed. 

“I guess. Since your parents have been so nice to me,” She rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged on the corners of her lips. 

“Good. Speaking of…” Marinette stood and grabbed the mop bucket and brush from the back. “The floors could use a good scrub.”

“No way! I’m not cleaning your filthy floors!” She spat.

“Fine. Let my parents come home to a messy bakery.” Mari shrugged, smirking as Chloe snatched the brush and bucket from her, dropping back to her knees. She turned and headed for the back door with a satisfied smirk, hesitating a moment in the entrance.

“Can I ask you something?” She started. 

“What?” Chloe grunted as she worked. 

“Why?” She leaned against the door frame, cocking her head to one side curiously. 

Chloe was quiet for a long time, focused on scrubbing, and after sometime Marinette began to think she wasn’t going to answer. Then she sat up and shrugged, dipping the brush back into the bucket gingerly, minding her nails. 

“When we were younger, everyone loved you.” She stated simply. “I wasn’t very good at making friends, and you had no problem with it. Everyone flocked to you like you were so perfect, and I hated your guts.” She resumed scrubbing. “After a while, I found that being mean to you got me attention, and it let me get revenge on you for being such a disgusting little goody-two-shoes.” 

“I would have been your friend if you would have asked.”

Chloe’s cheeks turned pink, and she quickly turned her back to Marinette to cover it up. After a moment, she cleared her throat. 

“I haven’t sunk low enough to be your friend yet,” She said matter-of-factly.

“Me either,” Marinette laughed, shoving away from the door frame and heading for the stairs.

“Marinette?” Chloe called, so she took a few steps back.

“Yeah?” She cocked a brow.

“I’m sorry too.” Marinette smiled at that, turning once more and retreating upstairs.

 “By the way, you missed a spot.” She called over her shoulder. 

Somehow as she headed up the stairs, she felt lighter, as if as heavy burden had finally been lifted from her shoulders after so many years. They’d wasted ten years hating each other when they could have been friends. Part of her wondered how different things would be if they had put down their weapons a long time ago.

Maybe Chloe would finally learn to be kind to people, or maybe she’d stay the same. Who knew? But one thing Marinette knew for certain was that she owed someone else an apology.

***

The next day, she stood awkwardly outside the Agreste mansion, clutching a tiny letter anxiously as her finger hovered over the buzzer. Even knowing that he wasn’t angry at her, she still worried about seeing him. But it was the right thing to do. Adrien didn’t need to feel guilty, and the longer she waited, the longer he had to live with that pain.

Almost as soon as she rang the bell, the small camera popped out and analyzed her face briefly before the iron gates slid open. She gulped and headed to the door, readying all of her words. Nathalie met her at the door, leading the way up to his room without a word.

“Adrien,” She knocked. “You have a visitor.”

“Come in.” He called.

Nathalie withdrew back down the stairs, leaving Marinette alone at the door. She took a deep breath before pushing it open and stepping inside. It was technically her first time in his room as Marinette, though she knew the layout well. Adrien was slouched in his computer chair with his back to her.

“I know we were gonna go to the movies, Nino, but I’m not sure I’m in the mo-” He turned to face her, stopping short. Her heart sank when he winced, searching her expression apprehensively.

“Hey,” She waved, doing her best to seem at ease.

“Hey…” He replied quietly.

“I got your flowers. They were beautiful.” She rocked on her heels. “So, um, thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” He nodded. The awkwardness was so thick, Marinette was certain she could cut it with a knife.

“Um, I read your letter.”

“Yeah?” He cocked an interested brow.

“It was really sweet,” She blushed. “Um, and I wrote you a reply…if you’re interested.” She held up the small folded piece of paper in her hand.

“Okay,” He leaned back and folded his hands in his lap neatly. Unfolding the letter carefully, she cleared her throat before she began reading.

“I found a boy beneath a tree,

A friend, whose eyes were wet with grief.

His pain, for me, was hard to see,

So I helped him find some small relief.

Then his pain did swiftly fade,

My closest friend he soon became,

And as dear friends, our bond was made;

We talked and laughed with little shame.

My name to him was so revered.

That angel’s heart he thought was gold,

But angels aren’t what they appear,

I waged a war, and we grew cold.

Now here I stand with what I lack,

Just hoping for my best friend back.”

As she finished, she dared to glance up at him. He held her gaze for a moment in stunned silence before he bolted from the chair and pulled her into a crushing hug.

“I was so scared you hated me!” He breathed, nuzzling into her neck.

“I thought you hated me,” Mari sniffled as a few tears escaped down her cheeks. “I was such a jerk.”

“No, I was the one putting unfair expectations on you. You had every right to be mad,” He pulled back slightly to look into her eyes, pressing his nose to hers.

“No, you were right. Being so full of hate wasn’t okay. I was just so consumed, and I didn’t want to admit it.” Her eyes lowered sadly. “Can you forgive me?”

“Only if you forgive me,” He smiled.

“Duh,” She laughed, hugging his neck tightly.

“If you want to hate Chloe, that’s really none of my business. Just…let me be neutral, okay?”

“Mmm, I don’t think that will be necessary.”

“What? Why?” He blinked in shock.

“Well, we kind of agreed to a cease fire,” She explained.

“Whoa, really? And the planet didn’t implode? How’d that happen?” His eyes widened in surprise.

Marinette gave him the run down about Chloe working at the bakery, Alya’s plan, his flowers, their surrender, the whole ordeal. When she finished, he had a huge dopey grin on his face.

“Mari, that’s amazing!” He gaped.

“Alya gave me a lot of lip for backing out of our plan, but all of a sudden, I saw myself for what I’d become, and it wasn’t someone I wanted to be.”

“I’m proud of you,” He squeezed her shoulders reassuringly. “How do you feel?”

“Like a weight has been lifted.” She let out a deep breath as if to expel negative energy from her body. “It’s refreshing.”

“Good. Now you can focus on other things…”

“Yeah, like kicking your butt at Mega Racer,” She grinned.

“Oh, I don’t think so. You may surpass me at Mecha Strike, but Mega Racer is _my_ turf.” He challenged.

“We’ll see about that,” She laughed, plopping down on his humongous couch. “Nice place by the way. It really is bigger than my house. Very fitting for you, rich boy.”

“Yeah, well, ya know, I have to store my over-sized ego somewhere.” He winked.

“Oh, well, it’s much too small for that,” She teased, and he shoved her over playfully.

Everything was back to normal. They played games, cracked jokes, and just spent time together, and as much as she hated to admit, she still loved him a lot more than she should have. They were like two magnets, constantly attracting each other, and no matter how hard she tried, she wasn’t strong enough to pull away from him. When she was with him, she was happy. Plain and simple, and she knew that she wouldn’t be able to run from him forever. Little did she know that forever would reach her sooner than she thought.

* * *

 

Author's Notes:

Thanks for sticking with me if you read this far! Your support of my creative process means a lot to me! 

Here is chapter ten! Some development for Chloe in preparation for things to come.

I found it ironic that I started working on this chapter in the midst of all the spoilers and whatnot. 

There's some Adrinette angst for you. They're learning :) 

Also, don't make fun of my poetry skills cause they're nonexistent, but these two little dumplings are romantic like that, so...I tried XD 

I'll have chapter 11 up on Wednesday, and I'm working very very hard to write chapter 12 so I can have it up in a week for Halloween! 

As always, let me know what you think. Feel free to follow me on Tumblr if you so desire (@MightyMunchlax) cause I post previews and updates and whatnot for chapters. 

As I stated before, once I get chapter 12 out, part one will be finished, and I'm going to take some time between part one and two to do some planning, to write a few chapters ahead, and in the mean time I'll post a drabble every week while you guys wait for me to get caught up. I have some good ideas that I think you'll enjoy.

See you guys soon! :)


	11. A New Companion

Chapter 11

            One month. For one month Hawkmoth plagued Marinette’s dreams every night, and finally, she couldn’t ignore it anymore. Every time she and Chat met up they always ended up getting sucked into some disaster that left them no time for talking, but they had a patrol later that evening, and she needed to tell him. She needed to be free.

            But evening seemed so far away as she sat up in her bed clutching her chest, her breaths short and ragged as sweat dripped down her face. The clock read 2am, and Mari knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep anymore that night so she climbed up onto her balcony. Her room was too hot, too stifling. She needed fresh air to dry the dampness of her skin.

            The night was quiet, the warm summer air beginning to give in to the crispness of autumn. She leaned her arms on the railing with a sigh, staring down at the empty street below. Something brushed her cheek, and she felt Tikki’s familiar comforting touch.

            “Every time I close my eyes, he’s there, Tikki,” She murmured softly. “Every night he haunts me, and I can’t…” Her face fell into her hand.

            “Do you want to talk to Master Fu?” Tikki offered. “We could go see him before-”

            “No, this is something I think I should tell Chat first. Master Fu gives great advice, but Chat Noir and I have to figure this out ourselves. Because in the end, it’ll be us against him.” She explained.

            “It’s good that you trust him so much, Marinette. Relying on each other will help you grow, and then Hawkmoth won’t stand a chance!” She said cheerfully. Marinette was quiet for a while, hugging her knees to her chest.

            “I hope so,” She whispered finally.

            She sat out on her balcony for the remainder of the night, writing an account of her dreams in her diary. It helped her get it out of her mind, but still, she longed for her partner’s support. She needed his goofy smile and horrendous cat puns. He hadn’t been by to see her on her balcony all month either. She wondered what he was up to when they weren’t together after what happened on their last encounter.

            When sunlight began to warm her cheeks, she realized she’d dozed off in her chair. She crawled back into her room groggily. 8am. Good enough. She pulled up her phone and checked her messages to find a good morning text from Adrien sent two hours ago. It seems as though his father still had his morning workout on his schedule. She typed a reply and rubbed her sore eyes.

            _Whoa, you’re up before 10 on a Saturday? Did aliens abduct you and replace you with a clone? ;)_

            _Haha, very funny._ She sent back. _Alya and Nino are finally making up the date we ruined today. Wanna hang out?_ The sooner she got out the better.

            _Can’t :( Helping Chloe move._

_Move?_

_Her dad found a place finally, so they’re moving in today_.

            Oh yeah, Chloe had mentioned something about it yesterday.

            _Maybe afterward_? He sent. _Unless you want to help?_

            _I guess. Summer’s almost over, I want to get out of the house._

_Great! Pick you up in an hour!_

            It was the longest hour of her life, and here she thought Ms. Mendeleiv’s boring science lectures seemed like an eternity. She was ready in ten short minutes, a skill she had acquired from being late all the time, and the rest was just…waiting.

            When Adrien finally arrived, she jumped up and rushed to the door, anxious to be doing something – anything - to take her mind off the issue.

            “Whoa, you look…” His eyes widened when he saw her, and he cleared his throat. “You sure you wanna help?”

            She knew he was referring to the ten pound bags under her eyes, but she couldn’t go back to sleep. Not until she talked to Chat.

            “Wow, thanks,” She glared.

            “Sorry, just…you look tired, Mari. Are you okay?” He cupped a hand over her forehead to check her temperature.

            “I’m fine!” She swatted him away. “I woke up too early, and this is the consequence.” Not technically a lie. She had woken up early. Just earlier than she let him think.

            “Then let’s get you some coffee on the way,” He insisted.

            “I’ve already had two cups,” She replied, passing him to head down the stairs.

            “Mari,” He sighed, a hint of scolding in his tone.

            “I’m fine!” She insisted again, pulling open the door. “Really.”

            “If you say so,” He eyed her worriedly as they climbed into his car. She could tell it still upset him as Gorilla drove them to the hotel because they sat through most of the ride in silence. When Mari’s eyelids started to droop, she struck up a conversation to keep herself awake.

            “So, summer is already over, huh?”

            “It’s been a crazy one for sure, but…not always in a bad way,” He smiled at her. “I’ve gotten a lot closer to you, and…I’m glad.”

            “Me too. Let’s just hope we don’t have any more fights. I like things better when we get along.”

            “Agreed,” He nodded. “You’re one of my closest friends, I mean, you’ve seen me cry, and I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I-I just hope that I can return the favor when you need it.”

            “That’s what friends are for, silly,” She smiled, elbowing his arm.

            “I know. I-It’s just nice to know I have people to fall back on,” He blushed, and Mari stifled a yawn.

            “Mmhmm,” She hummed.

            “You’re asleep on your feet, Mari,” He laughed, wrapping an arm around her.

            “I’m not,” She mumbled, leaning against his shoulder. He didn’t argue as they pulled up to the hotel where Chloe and her father were waiting with what remained of their possessions.

            “Thank you so much for your help, Adrien,” Mr. Bourgeois shook his hand graciously. “Oh, and Miss Dupain-Cheng, was it?”

            “Yeah,” She nodded with a short yawn.

            “You look like a zombie,” Chloe grunted giving her a look over.

            “Nice to see you too,” Marinette rolled her eyes.

            “Just let us know if you get a craving for brains,” Adrien winked and nudged her with his elbow.

            “Not yet,” She chuckled.

            “Well, this is it, sadly,” Mr. Bourgeois gestured to the few boxes and suitcases on the curb.

            “No problem,” Adrien grinned politely as Gorilla started packing the trunk. It only took them a couple minutes then they loaded back inside, Mr. Bourgeois giving directions in the front seat, and Adrien sandwiched between Marinette and Chloe in the back.

Marinette tried her best to stay awake, focusing on passing people and places, but her eyelids felt like paper weights. At one point, Adrien attempted to pull her against him to lean on his chest, but she refused despite how badly she wanted to.

After what seemed like an eternity, they arrived at the new house, and Chloe’s nose wrinkled in disgust as she looked at her new home with displeasure.

“It’s so tiny,” She griped, folding her arms over her chest.

“I thought it was quaint. We don’t have as much as we used to, dear,” Her father pointed out, and her lips formed into a pout.

“Don’t remind me,” She grumbled, stalking up the stairs as everyone else unloaded.

“Aren’t you going to help?” Marinette cocked a brow.

“Working at your humble little bakery is just exhausting. I don’t know how your parents manage; I simply can’t lift anything, or I’ll collapse,” She pressed the back of her palm to her forehead dramatically.

“Somehow, I’m not surprised,” Mari grunted as they headed inside.

“Just set those there,” Mr. Bourgeois instructed, pointing to the floor space in an empty room. He turned to Chloe, who was glancing around disgruntledly, and winced. “Well, pumpkin, this is home.”

“It’s even smaller on the inside,” She sighed. “Where’s my room?”

“Bedrooms are upstairs,” He replied. They followed her up the stairs and down the hall to her room.

“Daddy!” She whined. “This room is smaller than my bathroom.”

“I know, pumpkin, but it’s the best I could do,” He held up defensive hands as she opened the tiny closet. Slowly, her chest began to heave rapidly as her breaths increased until the scream erupted from her lungs. Marinette and Adrien covered their ears and backed out slowly.

“It’s probably best if you go. She’ll be doing that for a while,” Her father sighed.

“Anything else we can do to help?” Adrien offered.

“You’ve been a huge help already. Thank you both so much,” He smiled appreciatively. “It’s nice to know Chloe has some friends left.”

“We’re not exactly friends,” Marinette interjected, and Adrien rolled his eyes.

“Just let us know, okay?” He patted Mr. Bourgeois’ shoulder.

“I wish more people could be like you, myself included. I don’t like the situation any more than she does, but I made choices, and this is the consequence,” He sighed. “Don’t ever let greed overshadow your better judgment.”

“You’re trying to make it right, and that’s all that matters,” Adrien assured him.

“I’m glad someone feels that way,” He smiled. “You two are welcome here anytime.”

“See you around, Mr. B,” They both waved on their way out, climbing into the car where Gorilla waited. “Now, I think we should postpone our hangout until you get some sleep.”

“I’m fine,” She yawned, and Adrien gave her a look. “I just wanna be out of the house.”

“Then you’re taking a nap at my place,” He insisted.

“No…” She whined.

“Yes. No argument. You’re exhausted, and you won’t tell me why, so I’m just going to make you sleep.”

“I can’t,” She pleaded.

“Why? Tell me what’s wrong. Please?” His eyebrows furrowed worriedly, and she knew his concern was genuine. His expression begged for her to let him help, desperate to return the kindness she’d shown him.

“I’ve just been having the same nightmare for a while, so it’s hard to sleep some nights,” She explained with a sigh.

“What’s it about?” He cocked a brow, shifting closer to her. She pursed her lips. It’s not like she could tell him.

“Just…someone’s always chasing me, and I can’t do anything to stop it.”

“I read some book about dreams once,” She gave him an incredulous look. “What? I got bored one day…Anyways, usually being chased means you’re avoiding some sort of problem-” The understatement of the year. “And that you feel powerless.”

“Are you my therapist now?” She teased.

“Call me Dr. Hottie,” Adrien waggled his eyebrows, and she groaned.

“If I take a nap will it shut you up?” She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Possibly,” He offered as they pulled up to his house.

“Fine,” She caved, allowing him to lead her up to his room. She headed for the couch, but he grabbed her wrist.

“You _have_ to try my bed,” He insisted, pulling her over to it. Her eyebrows raised at him, a small smirk playing on her lips. “Shut up. That’s not what I meant!” His cheeks flushed red. 

“Sure it wasn’t,” She laughed, flopping onto his mattress. It conformed to her shape perfectly as if she were being hugged by a cloud. She let out a satisfied groan.

“Oh my god, how do you get out of this thing at 6am every day?” 

“Lots of will power,” He grinned, sliding down next to her and pulling the blanket over them.

“What are you doing?” She meant to sound sassy, but another yawn ruined it. The bed was calling to her, her eyelids barely staying open, begging her to shut them and give them the rest they needed. 

“I wanna be here in case you have the nightmare,” He replied.

“Was this just some elaborate scheme to get in bed with me?” She teased, poking his nose. 

“What? I would never,” He grinned cheekily, and she smiled, surrendering her will to think of a snarky comeback to her exhaustion. Adrien moved his hand up to her face, gently tucking her hair behind her ear. “Get some sleep, Mar,” He breathed, gently brushing his fingers through her hair. Her reply was a muted groan as she laid her head against his pillow and closed her eyes, sleep washing over her within seconds. 

Adrien

Adrien snuggled closer to her, lacing his fingers through her soft hair and touching his lips lightly to her forehead. Her breath was warm against his skin as she slept, and he closed his eyes too, savoring the closeness of their bodies as he wrapped his arms around her. She was so delicate and soft and warm, and Adrien wished they could have stayed that way forever.

But soon she began to whimper, twitching agitatedly as her slumber was plagued by unpleasant dreams. He rubbed her back gently, shushing her softly and kissing her hair, but it offered no help.

“Mari,” He shook her shoulder gently.

“No…” She grumbled.

“Mari, wake up,” He said a little louder.

“No!” She squirmed, forcing him to sit up to contain her spasms. “No…No…No!” She shrieked before her eyes flew open, and she fumbled away from him.

“Mari, hey, it’s just me! You’re okay. You’re safe,” He pulled her against his chest and rocked her back and forth while petting her hair. “It’s only me, angel. You’re safe.”

Slowly, her rampant gasps for air slowed as she processed where she was and what was happening. She buried her face in his shirt as her emotions bubbled over, and he continued to whisper soothingly in her ear, kissing her cheek every so often.

“I’ve got you. You’re okay,” He breathed, kissing her nose. He pressed his forehead to hers, letting his lips brush hers as she spoke. “Shh, you’re okay.”

“Adrien…” She whimpered.

“I’m right here, love,” He touched his lips to hers softly. Briefly. Just enough.

Her grip tightened on his shoulders, her eyes meeting his curiously as he felt the collective heat of their blush. His hand moved around to cup the back of her neck, fingers lacing through her hair. He dared to lean in again, heart accelerating as her head tilted ever-so-slightly, her eyelids drooping.

Their lips met again, hers pressing eagerly to his as her hand slid up to cup his face. He could feel her heart pounding in time with his as his thumb traced circles against her skin. Her lips were soft and warm against his, blurring his mind of every thought. Everything felt lighter, like they were floating, and he dared tilt his head further to deepen the kiss, but she pulled away abruptly, shattering the electricity between them as she put space between them and cupped her hands over her mouth in shock.

“That was…um, I-I,” She stammered, staring across the room with wide eyes.

“Amazing? Breathtaking? Completely and absolutely incredible?” He tried, cocking a brow as a smile stretched across his lips. She winced, gaze shifting down to her lap. “Or is that just me?”

“It was…nice, but…”

“Nice?” He folded his arms over his chest. Was he really that bad of a kisser?

“I-I, it was fine, it’s just…” He leaned back against his pillows with a sigh. He needed to up his game. Maybe he should look up a tutorial or ask Nino and Alya for tips.

“You were great, but I guess I’m not as awesome as I thought,” He grumbled.

“No! That’s not what- I’m just… _flustered_!” She groaned. “Look, it was amazing. You’re very…good, great even, but I- we shouldn’t…I was just, I wasn’t _thinking_. I was dazed and upset and-”

“Okay,” He cut in shortly. “It meant nothing. I was just trying to comfort you, and I got carried away, so…don’t worry about it.”

“Okay…” She mumbled.

His heart felt heavy. Because it was a lie. It meant everything to him. Her lips sparked a wild fire in his heart, and he wanted to kiss them over and over and let her burn him to a crisp. He wanted those lips to whisper that she loved him too, to confirm what he hoped to be true, but they didn’t, and he didn’t press.

They attempted to return to normalcy, to play it off, but Adrien couldn’t push it out of his mind. No game or movie was satisfying enough. Not compared to the electricity of her kiss. More than ever he wanted to hold her and feel her heart beat against his chest, to kiss her and never stop.

But he couldn’t, and he didn’t.

After a while, she made an excuse to leave, and he let her go. He had to prepare to meet Ladybug anyway, and as he leapt from roof to roof, his mind never let go of the way her lips felt against his own.

Ladybug

The evening was calm and quiet, but Ladybug felt anything but as she awaited Chat’s arrival. Her stomach turned in knots, her heart pounding erratically for more reasons than one. What was she thinking earlier, kissing him again? She might as well just tell him she’s in love with him now. Stupid!

When Chat’s boots clanked behind her, she spun around and met his gaze for a moment before running into his arms.

“Whoa, miss me?” He grunted in surprise as she squeezed him tightly. Upon seeing her tired eyes and tortured expression he sobered. “What’s wrong?”

“I have to tell you something,” She started. “Because you’re the only one I can tell, and I don’t know what to do and…”

“Hey, whoa, whoa, slow down, LB. What happened?” He cupped her face in his hands, mask furrowed worriedly.

“I saw him, Chat.” She swallowed hard.

“Saw who?”

“Hawkmoth.” His eyes widened.

“When? Where? Is he close? Let’s-”

“No,” She said flatly. “Not here. At the fashion show.”

“Last month? You saw him a month ago, and you’re just now-” He stopped short as her face fell into her hands and quiet sobs hitched in her throat. He sighed and pulled her back into his arms.

“I almost changed back in front of him, Chat. He could have taken my Miraculous,” She shivered. “Every night I see him, and I can’t…What if we aren’t strong enough to defeat him, Chat?”

“Hey, don’t say that. We’re unstoppable.”

“But what if we aren’t?” She snapped. “What if we lose?” Chat considered it awhile, resting his chin on top of her head while he rubbed her back.

“You’re spooked, m’lady, and I understand your fears. We’ll just have to keep getting stronger,” She leaned her head against his chest and did her best to match his steady breaths.

“We need to communicate more. We need to plan,” She suggested, closing her eyes to think more clearly. Those gray eyes flashed behind her eyelids, and she squeezed them tighter to block it out.

“Okay, let’s patrol more then, or maybe meet up somewhere and talk about stuff like this more.” He added. “If Hawkmoth is showing his face, we need to get serious.”

“Yeah,” Ladybug nodded. “We need a way to communicate outside of uniform that won’t reveal who we are, but for now let’s just meet here every night.”

“Got it,” Chat looked her over and smiled warmly. “It’s gonna be alright, Bug. Let me know if you’re still having those nightmares tomorrow, okay? I don’t like seeing you look so…traumatized.”

“Thanks, Chat,” She smiled, stretching up to peck his cheek. “Now, let’s go see how Paris is doing tonight.”

Chat followed her lead dutifully, and her confession as well as a relatively quiet patrol helped ease some of her worry. She only hoped they could find a way to beat Hawkmoth soon.

Chat Noir

His dream was strange. He was at his father’s studio, but something about it felt off, eerie, and his heart was pounding a mile a minute. Despite his best efforts, his body moved on its own, worried thoughts racing through his mind too quickly for him to comprehend. But it wasn’t his mind, and this wasn’t his dream. The hand that reached up to move the curtain was smaller, daintier, encased in a red and black spotted suit.

_Ladybug?!_

Was he seeing her dream? Was he _in_ her dream? Oh, she was going to kill him. How could this be happening? What if he saw too much? Or discovered who she was? This was wrong. This was very wrong.

His feeling of dread resonated through her body as well as she peeled back the curtain to reveal that tall, menacing figure that so often plagued her dreams. For a moment, they stood in horror, body-frozen as his arm reached out just as her earrings beeped weakly, and he felt the rush of detransformation. He shouldn’t be here. She knew who she was, and he had no right to look, but soon her screams pierced his brain, bombarding him with all of her panic and terror.

“No!” She shrieked as Hawkmoth overpowered her. “Transform me! Transform me! Tikki!”

What could he do? Surely he wasn’t only meant to standby and do nothing! He got pulled in for a reason, and she needed his help, needed to know that she wasn’t alone.

“Ladybug!” He tried shouting through her consciousness.

“Chat!” She screamed, limbs flailing as she struggled to free herself from Hawkmoth’s hold.

He felt a tug on his mind, and he pushed against it as she repeated his name over and over. He met with pressure and resistance but pressed on, reaching for her desperately until finally the tension snapped, and he came crashing into her world, this time staring down at her. Hawkmoth had vanished, and thankfully, she was wearing her mask. He wondered if that was his doing and wondered how much control he had here.

“Ladybug,” He cupped her face.

“No!” She squirmed, eyes shut tightly.

“It’s me,” He brushed her cheek gently. “I’m here, Bug.”

Slowly, her eyes peaked open, her breaths still spastic and ragged. As she processed his face, her eyes widened curiously, and she stretched up a hand to touch him, to verify that he was really there.

“Chat?” She blinked slowly.

“You called?” He smiled. “Some nightmare you’ve been having.”

“Chat?”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t see who you really are. Cat’s honor.” He crossed his heart.

“Are you…”

“Really here?” He cocked a brow. “Seems that way. We’re sharing a dream, or something like that…”

She moved to sit up, and he shifted off of her carefully. Her eyes studied him for a while before she spoke.

“How is this possible?” She asked, poking him. “It feels real.”

“Must be a Miraculous thing. You wanted me to help, and well, I guess you pulled me in here,” He rubbed the back of his head. “Of course, I’m only guessing here.”

“So, you’re really here?” She cocked a brow. “In my mind?”

“Looks like it,” He nodded.  
            “Well, get out!” She shoved him, cheeks flushing.

“I don’t know how! _You_ pulled _me_ in here!” They eyed each other for a long time, lips pursed.

“In a way, I guess I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been having that nightmare every night…You saw it, didn’t you?” She met his gaze solemnly.

“Yeah.” She nodded at his response, contemplating it for a moment before crawling into his lap and resting her head against his chest.

“Thanks, I guess.”

“You’re welcome,” He held her tightly. They stayed like that for a while until she spoke up again.

“I’m sorry for how I treated you before, Chat,” She started.

“What do you mean?” His eyebrows furrowed in confusion at her random outburst.

“I never took you seriously, your feelings for me…I always pushed you away, and I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize for that,” He laughed.

“I know, but…It’s been bothering me lately because you _are_ important to me. I can’t do this without you.” She murmured.

“I can’t do this without you either, Bug,” He shook his head. “That’s why we’re a team.” She moved up to look him in the eye, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“More than that. You’re my best friend, Chat, and I trust you with my life.” He smiled warmly, touching his forehead to hers.

“Me too, m’lady.” He breathed.

“I was too stubborn to admit it before, even to myself, but you’ve always felt like a part of me, and I do love you and your lame cat puns. A lot.”

“Well, me and my _clawsome_ cat puns love you too. Always have, probably always will in some way or another.” He smirked. “But if you’re hoping to be my girlfriend, you must know my heart is spoken for.” She rolled her eyes at that.

“How is your girlfriend?”

“Not my girlfriend, yet, but she’s amazing. Even more so that you,” He teased, flicking her nose, and she snickered.

“Send her my condolences,” She grinned, pressing her nose to his.

“Will do,” He chuckled as the world around them began to blur and fade, ripping apart into pieces. They were waking up.

“Time to go back, I guess,” She sighed.

“We’ll see each other soon enough. Who knows? Maybe we can do this more often,” He said pointedly. “That is, if you’re willing to let me back into your head.”

“If you behave,” She laughed as the room closed in, shattering into tiny particles. She hugged him tighter as they began to break apart too.

“Good morning, Bug,” He smiled, and she kissed his cheek in farewell.

“Good morning, Chat.” Her voice echoed around them as they fractured and broke, their masks the last fragments to disappear before Adrien blinked open his eyes just as morning light began to creep through his window.

He sat up with a smile and rubbed the space between Plagg’s ears as he slept soundly on the pillow. Despite their past, he felt no contempt for Ladybug, and he meant it when he told her he loved her. It wasn’t the same love as before, no, it had morphed, and he knew her feelings for Chat Noir were the same. It was the deep-rooted love of a close friend, the trust of a partner.

Their relationship had its ups and downs, but it made them stronger. She left Adrien because she thought she was protecting him, and he couldn’t fault her for that. Besides, he had Mari now, well, sort of anyways. He sighed thinking about the day before.

Why had he told her it didn’t mean anything? Why couldn’t he have told her how he felt? Was it because he thought it’s what she wanted to hear? Or because he was too afraid of being rejected? If she rejected him, his heart would break again, and he’d rather pine for her than feel that pain again. At least if he kept it to himself, he could still hope that one day she’d confess her feelings if she still had any left.

So, he sent her a cheerful good morning text and got dressed for his morning workout like any other day. Surprisingly, she responded quickly.

_Still having nightmares? You’re up early._

_No, I’m actually feeling much better. I slept like a rock :)_

_Good :) Any plans today?_

_Alya wants a girl’s day. No boys allowed :P_

_Aww, well, have fun! We’re in the same class again this year, so I’ll see you tomorrow at school._

_Alya and Nino are making us sit together because they want “couple time.” I really think she just wants me to sit by you._

_She really wants us to be together, huh?_ His heart pounded waiting for her response.

 _Ugh, I know. She’s so nosy_. Not the reply he wanted, but he didn’t mention that.

_She just can’t grasp that we’re becoming such good friends. She’s worried I’ll steal you away from her if we don’t end up dating ;)_

_Probably. I’ll see you tomorrow._

_If you’re not late :P_

_Haha, you’re hilarious._

After his morning activities, he showered then found Plagg rolling around in his dirty laundry. He folded his arms over his chest and cocked a brow at him.

“What?” He grunted.

“If you’re quite finished, I was thinking about visiting Master Fu,” Adrien replied.

“What for?” Plagg asked, floating up beside him.

“I wanna ask him about last night. See if I’m right about it.”

“You mean the dream thing? All Miraculous users can do it if they’re allies. It’s how they communicate and plot stuff when they’re not transformed.”

“So, it’s not just a Ladybug and Chat Noir thing?” His eyebrows furrowed.

“You’re not as special as you thought, kid,” Plagg snorted.

“Whatever, it’ll be good to check in with him anyways. A lot has happened lately.” He grabbed a jacket from his closet and motioned his kwami inside.

“Master Fu?” He knocked on the bamboo door at his shop before peaking his head in. The old master was pouring tea with an expectant smile.

“Chat Noir, how have you been?” He asked knowingly.

“Great! You were right last time. I needed to make up with Ladybug,” He sat down across from him on the mat.

“You two are doing well then?”

“Well,” He winced before explaining her – _their_ – dream. Master Fu stroked his beard thoughtfully.

“You two are doing well indeed. Dreams can only be shared if there is an unbreakable trust between Miraculous users. Our minds are vulnerable, so to let another enter takes great faith. Ladybug thinks highly of you.” He explained.

“I want to help her. She’s afraid we won’t be strong enough to take down Hawkmoth which is why she has bad dreams,” He traced the rim of his cup nervously.

“Perhaps it is time a new partner joined you two,” Master Fu stated with a smile.

“What do you mean?” Adrien’s eyebrows furrowed.

Master Fu stood and paced calmly to his old phonograph. He fiddled with it a moment before it began to open, and Adrien’s jaw dropped. A dark box with Chinese characters emerged from inside, and he stood and moved beside Master Fu.

“Is that-” He gaped.

“It is.” Master Fu nodded as a smile broke out across Adrien’s face.

“Too cool,” He grinned.

“The Bee has awoken recently which can only mean you two are ready to bring in a new partner,” Master Fu lifted the bee-shaped comb carefully and opened a drawer in the table underneath where he pulled out a smaller box with the same insignia. It looked like the same one he’d found his Miraculous in only bigger. “I will leave the decision to you and Ladybug for it is your partner you are choosing,” He extended the box to Adrien.

“Don’t worry,” He smiled down at it. “I know just the girl.”

Ladybug

“Well, good evening, m’lady,” Chat called, and Ladybug turned to him with a smile.

“Hey, kitty cat,” She hugged his neck in greeting.

“How are you? Better?” He looked her over worriedly.

“Much,” She sighed in relief. “Some cool cat chased away my bad dream.”

“Is that right?” He smirked. “Was he handsome?”

“He wishes,” She teased, brushing his nose with her finger.

“Me-owch,” He touched a hand to his chest, feigning offence.

“I’ve been thinking. Since we can share dreams now, why don’t we do it once or twice a week for reports? That is what they’re for, right? My kwami said all I have to do is think about inviting you in, and you’ll get pulled in again.”

“I’m all for being in your head again,” He winked.

“I knew you would be. So, how about we try Monday nights and Friday nights?” She suggested.

“I’ll come knocking,” He grinned. “Speaking of reports, I have some news for you.”

“What’s up?” She cocked a brow.

“You’ve been worried that the two of us won’t be enough to stop Hawkmoth ourselves, so what if we find another person to help us?”

“What do you mean? We can’t just pick someone and make them a superhero,” She frowned.

“Can’t we?” He smirked, holding up the comb.

“Is that-”

“Mmmhmm,” He nodded smugly.

“Chat! How…where?” She turned it over in awe.

“A wise old man gave it to me. He wants us to pick another partner,” So Chat knew Master Fu as well.

“Okay, so let’s keep an eye out, and we can discuss people in our dream meetings-”

“Actually, I already have someone in mind, but I wanna run it by you first,” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Who?”

“Marinette.” Oh boy.

“Your girlfriend?” Her eyes narrowed.

“Not my girlfriend, but yes,” He corrected. “She’s super kind and genuine and smart, just like you. She’d be perfect!” Well, he wasn’t wrong.

“I dunno, Chat…” She grimaced.

“Think about it, okay? I trust her,” He placed hands on her shoulders.

“Let’s consider all of our options, okay?” She smiled up at him.

“I know, but I’m pretty confident about her.”

Great.

Later that night, she stood on her balcony, gazing out at the street below. At least she knew he had good judgment. She’d have to figure out an excuse to keep him from giving it to her until she could find someone better.

“You make the stars jealous when you stand outside, princess. You’re so much more radiant than they are.” She’d recognize that desperate seduction anywhere.

“Chat Noir, it’s been sometime since you graced my balcony with your flirtatious advances,” She smirked. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I wanted to thank you for last time, for listening. I didn’t mean to dump all that on you,” He hopped down to her and smiled. “I have a gift for you to show my thanks.”

“If it’s anything like your last gift, no thanks.” She folded her arms over her chest.

“Didn’t like my ring?” His mask furrowed.

“I didn’t appreciate it, no,” She replied.

“Oh, c’mon, princess. I picked it out just for you,” He grinned.

“Please tell me it’s fake,” She eyed it on her finger sourly.

“It’s 100% genuine. Princesses deserve the best,” He winked. She pursed her lips for a moment then turned back around.

“I hate you,” She grumbled.

“No, you don’t,” He sang, leaning against the railing beside her.

“I didn’t like the gift that went with the ring either just in case you were wondering,” She retorted.

“Didn’t like my kiss?” His mask furrowed.

“It could use some work,” She smirked as his tail swished back and forth.

“Why don’t you give me some pointers?” He waggled his eyebrows.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” She laughed.

“More than you can imagine,” He kissed her hand. “But I won’t keep you up, princess. I just wanted to stop by and thank you. Things have been…better for me.”

“You’re welcome, kitty,” She smiled, biting her lip. “I’ll teach you one thing.”

“Oh?” His ears perked up.

“If you’re going to kiss a girl, don’t just plant one on her. You have to set it up first,” She stepped closer to him. “Make eye contact,” She instructed, and Chat followed her words very literally. “Let her know you want to kiss her by touching her face and looking down at her lips.” He lifted his hand to brush her cheek, gaze flicking to her lips.

“Then what?” He breathed.

“Then you lean in – slowly – and tilt your head slightly. If she does the same, she wants to kiss you.” She continued.

“You’re tilting your head,” He smirked as he leaned in.

“I’m demonstrating,” She flicked his bell.

“Now what?” He was close enough that she could feel his breath swirling around her face.

“Let your lips touch, but don’t kiss her yet. Make her want it a little,” She whispered against his lips, feeling his breath catch slightly. His gaze flicked back up to her eyes.

“And then?” He asked, eagerly anticipating her next instruction. She smirked a little, lingering tantalizingly close to him for a moment before pulling away.

“Then you kiss her,” She patted his chest and moved around him to climb back through her skylight. He let out a ragged breath.

“No demonstration?” He huffed, folding his arms over his chest.

“You didn’t ask for one. You asked for tips,” She smiled slyly.

“You really make me think about what I say, princess,” He sighed. “Fair enough then. I’ll remember all of those next time I save you.”

“Ah, yes. Your price. Which seems to only apply to me,” She gave him a look.

“I keep hoping that one day you’ll fall madly in love with me, and we can ride off into the sunset together,” He placed a hand to his chest theatrically.

“And live happily ever after?” She scoffed.

“Presumably.”

“You’re barking up the wrong tree if that’s what you’re after. This princess can save herself,” His eyes softened warmly, a small smile on his lips, and Mari felt her cheeks heat up.

“A boy can dream that one day that valiant princess will look at him the same way he looks at her.” Mari pursed her lips.

“Do you like Studio Ghibli?” She asked, steering their conversation elsewhere.

“Uh, have I watched every Miyazaki film ever created? Yes,” He snorted.

“I was thinking of watching Castle in the Sky and painting my toenails if you wanna join me,” She offered.

“I’d love to…watch the movie, um, I can’t really get to my nails cause of…ya know,” He gestured to his suit. “As much as I’d love to show you my real face, it’s much too handsome for you to handle. I wouldn’t want you to feel tempted.”

“Whatever. Get in here, you dork,” She rolled her eyes, crawling down onto her bed and moving for him to follow. “Make yourself comfortable, I’ll go get snacks.”

When she returned with a plate of cookies, he was sprawled across her bed casually, flipping through one of her magazines. She giggled a little because he seemed so out of place.

“Comfy?” She grinned as she crawled up next to him, plopping her tablet on her pillow.

“You like to buy magazines with your friend’s face on the front, don’t you?” He smirked.

“I support him and his dad, so, yes,” She snatched it away from him.

“And because you love him,” Chat waggled his eyebrows.

“Jealous?”

“Extremely,” She smirked at that and started the movie as Chat popped a whole cookie into his mouth. She eyed him for a moment, tapping her chin in thought. He looked kind of…cute among her frilly bedding.

_No, stop. Stop that!_

“Can I braid your hair?” She asked, pushing those thoughts out of her mind. His gaze flicked from the screen to her as she ran her fingers through it.

“Sure,” He shrugged, sitting up and turning his back to her. “Can we gossip about your boy toy, or whatever girls do at these things?”

“Fine, but for every detail I tell you about me, you have to give one about yourself.” She replied, combing his unruly locks with her fingers. His hair was surprisingly soft.

“That’s fair,” He pursed his lips as she went to work. “Have you kissed him?”

“Really on kissing tonight, aren’t we, kitty?” She laughed. “I kissed him today actually.”

“Oh?” He tilted his head back to look at her.

“It wasn’t like that. I was upset, and he was holding me, and it happened, and we both agreed it didn’t mean anything.”

“Yeah, guys say that to cover their ass, but kisses always mean something to a guy.” When she paused her braiding, he leaned his head back again. “Last time, you said you didn’t have the luxury of being with him anymore…What did you mean?”

“Doesn’t matter,” She mumbled, resuming her work on his hair. She pulled a hair tie from one of her pigtails and tied off her sloppy braid. “Cause now it’s your turn.”

“My favorite color is blue. Your turn.” Marinette sighed.

“I just don’t, okay? And if you ask me about it again, I’m painting your claws pink.” They changed the subject for a while, but Chat couldn’t resist temptation, so Mari moved into his lap, holding his arm hostage while she painted.

“I’ll have you know, I rather enjoy manicures,” He laughed.

“I bet you’ll look super menacing with pink claws next time an akuma attacks,” She teased, blowing on his nails to dry them.

“Oh, I’m going to be so fierce,” He snapped, and she threw her head back and laughed.

“Seems like I’m going have to torture you some more with another movie,” She smirked.

“Anything but Princess Mononoke,” He pleaded with a wink.

Chat stayed through several movies, discussing characters and plot points for hours. After a while, they both dozed off during Ponyo, snuggled together on her small bed. Marinette didn’t dream of Hawkmoth, and, fortunately, Chat stayed in his own head. Instinctively, he woke up around dawn like he was used to, stretching and glancing around in confusion until he realized where he was. When he tried to get up, Mari snuggled closer in her sleepy-haze before she processed that someone was next to her and sat up abruptly.

“We fell asleep,” She moaned groggily.

“Seems that way,” Chat yawned. “I should go. School starts today.”

“Don’t remind me,” Marinette groaned, rubbing her eyes. She reached up and opened the latch for Chat to climb out, standing up and peaking her head through the window. Chat laid down on his stomach, resting his chin on his hands as he smiled down at her.

“I had fun,” He smiled.

“You’re not so terrible when you’re not flirting with me,” She agreed.

“We should hang out again sometime. I can see how I look with blue claws,” He admired his bright magenta claws with a playful grin.

“Oh, I have a shade that will look _purr_ fect on you,” She clamped a hand over her mouth. Did she just-? “Dammit.”

“I’m rubbing off on you,” Chat said proudly.

“So it would seem,” They smiled up at each other for a moment before Chat’s gaze flicked to her lips, and she sighed. “Come here, you.”

She grabbed his face and kissed him softly. His lips were eager and warm against hers as a cool breeze blew across her balcony. Kissing him felt oddly pleasant, and she was certain her Miraculous was playing tricks on her. Why else would she think Chat was cute and actually _want_ to kiss him? When they pulled away his eyes were wide with bewilderment, a dopey grin stretched across his face.

“Wow.”

“You’re such a dork,” She rolled her eyes, cheeks pink. “There’s your demonstration. Now go sweep the ladies off their feet.”

“Mmm, the only feet I wanna sweep are yours.”

“Goodbye, Chat,” She pushed him away.

“Don’t act like you didn’t like it, princess,” He chuckled as she lowered back into her room.

“Go home!” She groaned, but he could hear her laughing under her breath, and she knew it. Stupid cat hearing.

“Farewell, princess. My lips will miss yours immensely.” She listened as his footsteps disappeared as he leapt from the roof, smiling to herself as she curled back under her blankets. What was she going to do with that cat?

“Class! Take your seats,” Mrs. Dubois instructed several hours later as Marinette slouched in, barely on time.

“I see someone’s a creature of habit,” Alya teased from where she sat in Adrien’s usual seat up front next to Nino.

“I stayed up pretty late, summer schedule and whatnot,” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I see you’ve moved up.”

“Nino and I thought you and Adrien might want to sit together since you two have become such good “friends.” Plus we wanted to sit together cause we embrace our feelings for each other,” Alya smirked.

“It’s fine. I’m happy for you two,” Marinette smiled sweetly, plopping her bag on her usual seat behind Alya, now next to Adrien.

“Sleep okay?” He asked worriedly.

“Yeah. I’m much better now. Thanks for your, uh, help,” She blushed, recalling the incident in his room. On his bed.

“N-No problem,” His cheeks flushed too.

“Alright, class, looks like everyone is here. I’m Mrs. Dubois, and I will be your home room teacher this year.”

Marinette glanced around the room for familiar faces, smiling as Mylene met her gaze. She was seated next to Ivan and across from them sat Juleka and Rose. In the row across from Alya and Nino up front sat Kim and Max, and the rest were faces she vaguely recognized from other classes last year, Theo and Aurore being the most familiar. It seems as though Lila was in a different class this year, but Marinette would see her at lunch.

“Alright, class. I’ll take roll then we can get started. Agreste, Adrien?”

“Present.”

Part of her still couldn’t get over the fact that Adrien kissed her. And she kissed him back, how stupid! She’d let herself get distracted and as weak-willed as she was, she should have known better. But Adrien was so sweet and worried about her, and she was so tired and ugh!

And her kiss with Chat this morning…She didn’t want to believe she was falling for him too, but he was right; it had felt nice. Her stupid traitor of a heart didn’t know what it wanted, and she was getting dizzy trying to figure it out. After all, she’d already rejected both of them as Ladybug, so what did she hope to gain by chasing after them as Marinette? Romance was so complicated when you led a double life.

“Bourgeois, Chloe?”

“Present.” A small voice answered from the back, and every head snapped around to look at her. Her eyes narrowed into an icy glare that almost everyone returned until Mrs. Dubois cleared her throat.

“Bruel, Ivan.”

“Looks like the apex predator just got bumped to the bottom of the food chain,” Marinette whispered to Adrien.

“Why don’t you sit by her in biology? People might be more forgiving if they see you two getting along,” Adrien replied.

“What? Why me? Let her latch onto your arm; she’s already good at it!” She hissed.

“Dupain-Cheng, Marinette?”

“Present!”

Adrien waited for her to call the next name before responding, “You have more street-cred than I do. People are used to seeing me with Chloe, but everyone knows you two hated each other.”

“So?”

“Please? For me?” He flashed his best pout, and Marinette’s lip twitched in annoyance.

“Fine,” She growled, facing the front. “But you better send a nice bouquet to my funeral because this is social suicide.”

“I’ll send the biggest, pinkest bouquet I can find,” He winked.

When biology rolled around, Adrien purposefully took the seat next to Aurore, flashing his 100-watt smile at her to win favor. He jerked his head toward Chloe, and Marinette sighed. His lips formed a perfect pout, begging her to do his bidding, so she stalked over to the lab bench next to Chloe and sat down, cursing herself for being so susceptible to that stupid boy.

“I want to sit alone,” She grunted, sticking her nose in the air.

“Too bad,” Marinette replied, flipping open her notebook grumpily. Chloe shifted slightly and did the same, clicking her pen as she cast her some major side-eye.

Mari glanced up at Adrien again who smiled innocently at her. She returned the look with a glare, so Adrien blew her a kiss then pulled out his phone under the table, typing a quick message that shook her phone when it was received.

_You know you love me ;)_

_Somedays it’s debatable_. She responded.

_How can I make it up to you?_

_You still owe me a ride in your jet._

_I can arrange that._

“Alright, class, cell phones away,” Mr. Mallet instructed from the front of the room.

Marinette caught Alya’s eye as she tucked her phone into her purse. Her friend looked between her and Chloe quizzically as if to say “What the hell are you doing?” Mari winced in reply and stared down at her notebook guiltily. The first nail in her coffin.

“Since when can you and Chloe sit next to each other without causing World War III?” Her best friend folded her arms over her chest during PE. “You’re supposed to be sitting with Adrien! That was the whole point of me sitting by Nino!”

“Look, I’m just trying to do something nice for her, okay?”

“Since _when_?” Alya gaped.

“Since… _now_ , alright? I don’t wanna talk about it,” She grunted.

“Oh, we are _so_ going to talk about it! What’s with you lately, M? It’s like I don’t even know you anymore!” Her friend shot back.

“People change, Alya. I’m just tired of fighting, okay? If you’re my friend, you’ll drop it!” Alya’s mouth formed a tight line, and she turned and stormed off toward where Nino and Adrien were shooting hoops.

Adrien met her gaze worriedly, and Marinette shook her head, stalking off toward the locker room. Rose’s high-pitched scream sent her heart pounding as he spun around to see Hawkmoth’s latest creation. A maintenance man, judging from the overalls and tools strapped to his belt.

He was fixated on Mr. D’Argencourt, who, Marinette assumed, was the reason for his akumatization. She needed to distract him so everyone could get away safely then she could transform.

“Hey! Over here, slacker!” She shouted, launching a dodgeball and pegging him in the back of the head. He glared up at her, a ladder materializing in his right hand. “Uh-oh.” She winced as he launched it in her direction.

“Look out!” A black figure slammed into her side, tackling her into the girls’ locker room. “Do you have a death wish?”

“Well, maybe if you’d show up to do your job sooner, I wouldn’t have to do it for you.” She retorted with a teasing smile.

“How would you like for it to be _your_ job?” Chat cocked a brow.

“Thinking of retiring?”

“From this? No way!” He flexed his biceps. “Ladybug told me to look around some more, and “explore all my options,” but I’m positive you’re the one.”

 _Crap! No! I haven’t found a replacement yet!_ She thought as he pulled out the Bee comb.

“This is called a Miraculous. It’s what lets you transform like me and Ladybug. You can be a superhero like us.”

“Uh, I-I really can’t take it,” She shoved it away, but Chat shoved it back.

“I know it seems scary, but you’ll do fine!” He encouraged.

“I’m not really the hero type,” She insisted, pushing his hand away again.

“Says the girl who just threw a dodgeball at a 4 meter monster,” He laughed, tucking it into one of her pigtails. “You can do it, I promise. I’ll leave you to the tutorial while Ladybug and I take care of Handyman out there. You can jump in whenever you’re ready!”

“No, Chat, wait! I can’t- ugh!” She ripped the comb out of her hair as he dashed off. “I told him to wait, and what does he do?”

“Well, now _we_ can find its true owner, but right now we need to transform!” Tikki ordered.

“Right. Transform me!”

***

“There you have it, peeps! You saw it all live, right here on the Ladyblog! Chat Noir and Ladybug have just defeated another evil villain!” Alya cheered proudly into her camera. “Anything to say to the fans out there?”

“Uh, Chat Noir and I appreciate all of the love and support, and-”

“We hope you’ll love our new partner just as much!” Chat beamed.

“What’s that? A new partner?” Alya gasped. “Details!”

“There are _no_ details,” Ladybug grabbed Chat’s wrist and tossed her yoyo onto the roof.

“Okay, I know you said to wait, but-”

“Where is it, Chat?” She demanded.

“Well,” He squeaked.

“Chat! Who did you give it to? This isn’t some free movie pass. You just gave someone super powers!”

“And I know that which is why I picked the most trustworthy person in all of Paris! You’re going to love her!”

“Chat!” She groaned.

“Trust me!” He pleaded as their Miraculouses beeped. Ladybug took a deep breath. At least it was safe in her hands for now, so she couldn’t be too hard on him.

“I trust you,” She sighed. “But I’m not happy.”

“She’s the best choice. I know she is. I’ll see you tonight,” He squeezed her shoulders before racing off.

Ladybug hopped back down herself, hiding in the bushes along the outside wall as her transformation released. She pulled out the comb with a sigh. In a flash of light, a small yellow and black kwami emerged and gave her an incredulous look.

“I’m really sorry, but I’m not the person you need,” She murmured. “I’m sure you’ve figured that out.”

“Your cat friend isn’t very smart,” The kwami smirked. “And neither are you.”

“Hey!” Marinette huffed.

“That’s Hunni for you. She always speaks her mind,” Tikki giggled.

“I’m not happy that you left me with that vixen all by myself in that box, Tik. You know how hard it is to get beauty sleep when someone next to you is just yammering on about how bored they are?” She groaned. “I was so happy to get out of there.”

“Well, don’t worry. We’ll find your rightful owner soon!”

Soon didn’t come as quickly as they would have liked. Weeks went by and no one stood out to her. There was Alya, but if she picked her, she was no better than Chat Noir, not to mention she had been extra suspicious of Marinette lately. She could pick Adrien, but that would only be awkward for him having to team up with his ex. Chat Noir’s visits to her balcony didn’t help either. She was running out of excuses to give him. Maybe she should just go around town like Master Fu and look for fateful encounters.

To add to her stress, everyone kind of distrusted her for hanging out with Lila _and_ Chloe. Alya swore she’d lost her mind, and somedays Marinette agreed. Surprisingly, Lila was the most forgiving besides Adrien, who felt a little bad for causing her problems because of his suggestion. Not that any of it mattered to her because it was the right thing to do, and she knew that even if she didn’t like it.

“Do you think everyone will ever move on from this? I’m tired of getting dirty looks all the time,” She groaned one day at lunch with Lila.

“Your friends will get over it. Or they won’t, but if they walk away from you for being a good person that’s their problem, not yours,” She shrugged. “Why don’t you invite Chloe to eat with us? We can all be social outcasts together.”

“I’ve tried, but she’s stubborn,” Marinette sighed. “She insists on eating by herself.”

“Life did kind of throw a whole lemon tree at her,” Lila said pointedly. “It’s hard to trust people when everyone hates you.”

“I remember how much grief you gave me at first,” Mari laughed.

“Exactly. Invite her again. Being alone may seem favorable to her, but deep down she wants to be around people. Trust me.”

The next day was the same as any other day. She approached Chloe at lunch and invited her to eat with them again, ignoring the glares of several passing classmates.

“I guess…It beats eating in the locker room,” She groaned reluctantly as if it were such an inconvenience, but Marinette could tell she felt relieved.

“Great! Let’s go,” She smiled cheerfully, leading her out to their bench where Lila was waiting.

“So, this is the reject bench?” Chloe cocked a brow.

“Damn right! Make yourself comfy,” Lila smirked as Marinette plopped down in the middle and patted the space next to her. Chloe sat down hesitantly and pulled out her sandwich then sat quietly while Marinette and Lila chatted about trivial things which went on each day after that.

Despite Marinette’s best efforts, people still took digs at Chloe every chance they got. She tried to reason with people to at least ignore her like they did Lila, but Chloe’s reign of terror wasn’t easily forgotten by anyone, and it only rewarded her with the cold shoulder from most of her peers.

 Everyone was paying Chloe back for everything she had ever done to them tenfold. Even little Rose shoved her out of the way on her way out of the locker room, something Chloe had often done to her. It made Marinette feel sick, and she realized that’s probably how Adrien felt watching her. She stooped to help Chloe up, gathering her books in a neat pile.

“I don’t need your help!” She snapped, but Marinette continued to shove the books into her bag.

“Maybe not, but you could use some kindness,” Mari smiled. “You like to act tough, but I know how much this bothers you.”

“Don’t I deserve it?” She grumbled. Marinette bit her lip. “Okay, you’re supposed to say ‘No, of course you don’t!’”

“Look, people are angry, and they have every right to be. You’ve tortured all of us for years,” Marinette shrugged.

“You’re not angry, and I tortured you the most,” Chloe said pointedly.

“Well, you apologized,” Mari replied. “I have an idea, and it may or may not work, but it will at least take a load off of your conscience.”

“What’s a conscience?” Chloe tilted her head to the side in confusion, and Marinette sighed heavily. “Oh my gosh, I’m kidding! You actually believed-”

“Okay! So, here’s what you need to do,” Marinette linked their arms and lead her away, explaining as she walked. If Marinette was right, people would at least leave her alone after this.

“I can’t believe you’re making me do this,” She grumbled the next day as Marinette walked beside her, carrying a basket of cookies and a binder.

“Do you want Rose to shove you over every day?” Marinette reminded her. “Oh, here comes Nathanael!” She flipped through the book and handed it to Chloe.

“Hey, Nathanael?” Chloe called, and the small boy turned to her with a glare.

“What do you want?” He snorted, and Chloe looked apprehensively at Marinette who nodded encouragingly.

“Ahem,” She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry that I pushed you into the mud in third grade and ruined your new shoes. I’m sorry that I made fun of all of your drawings, you’re a really talented artist – Marinette, really?” She huffed until Marinette gave her a stern look and she continued, “I’m sorry I made fun of your hair cut in 5th grade, and for calling you a “comic book geek-lord” whenever you wore a superhero T-shirt to school. I’m sorry I made fun of you when you had a crush on Marinette, and humiliated you in front of the whole class. Please take a fresh baked cookie in honor of my apology.” Marinette extended the basket to him with a smile, and he glanced between them warily, slowly taking a cookie and nibbling on it as if he expected it to be poisoned.

“Thanks…” He said, slowly backing away.

“Aren’t you supposed to say ‘Apology accepted’?” She glared, and Mari pulled her away quickly.

“Let’s give him time to think about it,” She insisted.

They went on like that for several days, going down the list of everyone Chloe had hurt. Some people forgave and some didn’t, but as the week went on Marinette noticed less people bullying her and that each apology got easier. She could see the heavy weight being lifted from Chloe’s shoulders as she confessed each of her sins, and a feeling in her gut told her what to do.

“Hunni, I know who your owner is,” She announced that evening as the small bug chomped on flowers she’d picked in the park.

“It’s about time,” She sighed. “Very well. Take me to them.”

Marinette held the comb as Hunni disappeared into it in a flash of light, and she placed it in the box delicately.

“Tikki, transform me!”

Chloe

“I’m done with the shower,” She called to her father as she slouched back to her room. Adjusting to the new house was an ongoing process as they both adjusted to cleaning up after themselves and sharing a bathroom. It was exhausting, and she wanted to lie down.

A faint breeze tickled her skin as she entered her room, and she glanced around suspiciously.

“Daddy, did you open my window?” She called.

“No, pumpkin, why?”

“Ugh, never mind,” She groaned, shutting it with a snap. She turned to her desk where her homework waited and noticed a small black box resting there. Eyeing it suspiciously, she slowly picked it up. A gift from her father maybe? As she lifted the lid, a bright yellow light flashed, and she shielded her eyes with her free hand.

“You? Seriously?” A voice scoffed. A large bee floated in front of her, and Chloe let out an ear-piercing shriek, though her father was used to hearing her scream by this point, so he wasn’t alarmed.

“Die, you nasty bee!” Chloe shouted, rolling up a magazine and swatting at it, but no matter how many times she hit it, the paper just seemed to phase through it like it was a…a ghost!

“Are you finished?” It sighed.

“What are you? How can you talk? Why were you in that box?” Chloe demanded, hiding behind her chair.

“I’m a kwami, and that comb you so rudely threw on the floor is a Miraculous. Put it on and say ‘transform me!’ and you’ll transform into a superhero,” The creature explained.

“You mean like Ladybug?” Chloe cocked a brow.

“Yeah,” It rolled its eyes.

“Wow! I’m going to be a hero like Ladybug!” She picked up the comb excitedly, a long gasp filling her lungs as realization set in. “I’m going to be on Ladybug’s team!”

“Oh boy,” The bee sighed. “I think I preferred the other one. You’re even more air-headed than she was.”

“Hey! First thing’s first, _bee-_ ”

“The name’s Hunni.”

“You need an attitude adjustment,” It rolled its eyes again.

“I’ll think about it. Now do your homework. Put some knowledge in that brain of yours and maybe you’ll be of some use to Ladybug and Chat Noir.”

“Okay, fine. You don’t have to nag me,” She grumbled, pulling out her chair and sitting obediently.

As she worked, she couldn’t help but smile at the thought of being a superhero and working with Ladybug. They were going to be bffs! She couldn’t wait until the next akuma battle!

And wait she didn’t. The next day a girl from another class turned into the ballerina villain Prima after her instructor picked another dancer to be the lead in their next performance. Chloe’s heart pounded as she peaked out at the courtyard from the locker room. This was it! It was time to transform…how did it work again?

“Transform me, that’s what you say,” Hunni reminded her, reading her expression.

“Oh, right,” She rubbed the back of her neck.

“Well, hurry up! Chat Noir and Ladybug are going to handle it while you stand here with your mouth hanging open!”

“Okay, okay!” She huffed. “Hunni, transform me!”

The rush felt strange but oddly pleasant, and before she could blink her yellow and black suit materialized. She examined herself in the mirror with a giddy smile, pulling her weapon from her hip. How did it work again? She thought back to Hunni’s explanation as Ladybug came crashing through the door.

“Ladybug!” She squeaked as she righted herself, rubbing her back.

“Hey!” She smiled. “We could use a little help if you’re up to it.”

“Yes!” She squealed, hugging her neck, but Ladybug pushed her back gently.

“Let’s focus on the task at hand,” She suggested.

“Right! What should I do?”

“Fight,” Ladybug ordered, throwing her into the action.

She pawed at her trompo once more, eyeing the villain with wide eyes. What would Ladybug do? Something clever. Whatever she did, it had to be impressive; Ladybug was counting on her!

Hunni said her weapon could do lots of different things, but she guessed now was the perfect time to learn. She tossed the top toward the villain as she pirouetted across the court yard, catching her leg in the string and tripping her briefly.

“Yay!” She cheered, but Prima resumed her poise quickly.

“Not over yet,” Ladybug warned as Chat Noir landed beside her. He gave Chloe a suspicious glare as if he were trying to figure her out.

“Lucky Charm!” Ladybug called, tossing her yoyo into the air, manifesting an object to help them out.

“A tiara?” Chloe asked, cocking a brow.

“Great, you can declare yourself queen and demand that she give up the akuma,” Chat Noir teased.

“Just give me a second,” Ladybug growled, glancing around at their surroundings. “The akuma must be in her barrette, but we can’t get close to her while she’s spinning.”

“Yeah, her kicks are no joke,” Chat rubbed his side sorely.

“Okay, I have an idea, but it’s going to take some coordination.” She tapped her chin. “I’ll lure her with the tiara; Chat Noir, you get ready to grab the barrette, and, uh, Bee, can you get her legs tied with that string?”

“Puh-lease, it’ll be a cinch, Ladybug,” She waved it away.

“Chat Noir can’t grab the barrette if she can move; I’m counting on you to immobilize her.” Ladybug placed her hands on her shoulders, and she felt a surge of importance in her task.  

“I’m on it,” She nodded dutifully before rushing into position.

“Hey, Prima! Looking for this?” Ladybug called as Chloe readied another top. The akuma glared at her, twirling and leaping right where they needed her to.

“I deserve to be the star! Give me that tiara!” She growled.

“It’s all yours,” Ladybug smirked, tossing it to her. “Now, Bee!”

Chloe tossed the spinner once more, letting the string snake its way around the akumas legs as she pulled tight. Ladybug wrapped her yoyo around Chat’s waist allowing him to bungee from the second story and snatch the barrette from her hair before the slack snapped and pulled him back up where he tossed the hair pin to Ladybug who promptly crushed it between her palms.

As the black butterfly fluttered free, Chloe hopped up to join them while Ladybug captured it in her yoyo. She passed Ladybug the tiara watching in awe as she tossed it into the air with her age old command that would set everything right. They did it! And she helped! She was a superhero!

Ladybug and Chat Noir held their fists up and looked at her expectantly. She’d seen this a million times between them, their post-battle ritual, and now they were inviting her to join.

“Pound it!” They cheered in unison, touching their fists together.

“Welcome to the team,” Ladybug smiled, patting her back.

“Un-be-lievable! A new hero has joined Ladybug and Chat Noir – that’s right, peeps! There’s a new girl on the scene. Can you tell us your name, Miss Bee?” Alya squealed, holding her phone in front of her.

“Uh,” She glanced at Ladybug who nodded supportively. “You can call me Queen Bee, and all you nasty akumas better watch your backs!” She winked, blowing a kiss to the camera before leaping over the building and hopping down behind the school where she changed back.

“I did it, Hunni!” She squeaked.

“Even I’m impressed that you managed not to bump that up,” Hunni praised.

Chloe smiled to herself, sneaking back around to the front of the school where everyone was buzzing about Queen Bee. She held her head high because she pulled it off, and she did it all on her own.

Marinette

“You were right, Chat. I like your girlfriend,” Ladybug smiled, a teasing lilt in her voice. Chat’s lips pursed sourly.

“That wasn’t my-”

“Hey, I’m not judging you. She’s got spunk. You’re a lucky guy,” She flicked his bell.

“Not as much as you think,” He sighed as she launched off over the building.

Marinette couldn’t help but smile to herself as she watched Chloe pass through the halls with a proud beam as everyone chatted animatedly about Queen Bee. Being a hero would be good for her; it would allow her to put others before herself for a change, and Marinette knew she’d made the right choice.

However, a certain cat wasn’t too thrilled with her decision.

She stood on her balcony later that evening, awaiting her inevitable punishment. When she heard his boots clank against the roof she took a deep breath and prepared herself for his barrage of questions before turning around to meet his narrowed gaze.

“You gave it away?” He growled with a frown.

“Look, I told you, I’m not cut out to be a hero,” She replied. “I don’t deserve it.”

“ _No one_ deserves it more than you!” He hissed. “You are crazy smart and talented and kind, and I thought you’d be great.”

“I’m sure whoever Queen Bee is will be great too,” She insisted. “You three worked so well together.”

“I wanted to work with _you_!”

“I know you’re upset, but the person that I gave it to needs to be a hero way more than I do. She hasn’t had the best influence in her life, and lately, things have been hard for her.” Mari explained. “She needs hope, and isn’t that what being a hero is all about? Giving people hope?” Chat’s shoulders slumped, and he leaned his arms on the railing, green eyes fixed on the street below. They stood in silence for a long time before he spoke.

“You really are something else, princess,” He smirked. “I handed you superpowers, and you found someone else who needed them more. That selflessness of yours is just another thing I love about you. You don’t even need powers to save people.”

“Well, not everyone gets the opportunity you have. Some of us have to figure out other ways to save the day, and we’re happy that way,” She smiled. Chat wrapped his arms around her, touching his nose to hers.

“You’re way more amazing than I ever thought,” He murmured, green eyes gazing warmly into hers, and she cursed her heart for skipping a beat.

“And I do it without the fancy suit,” She laughed.

“Yeah…I guess you do,” He pulled back slightly and grabbed his staff. “Good night, princess. I’ll be back to bother you another day.”

“I’m dreading it already,” She grinned, waving as he shot off.

She was grateful for the turn of events, and that he wasn’t too angry with her. Part of her wondered if the situation could have been avoided if she’d told him her identity but thinking about telling him created knots in her stomach. She’d always told herself that keeping it a secret was for their betterment, but lately she wasn’t so sure. Between the dreams and his slip up, she was starting to wonder if she _should_ tell him. Instinctively, she told herself that her secret must never get out, but deep down, she knew it wouldn’t be long before she would have to tell him the truth.

* * *

 

Author's Notes:

There's a lot going on in this chapter. I almost split it to separate the dream parts and the Chloe parts, but that would have resulted in two much shorter chapters, so I left them combined. 

That being said, a lot happened in this chapter XD Three out of the four ships got moments, Adrien's a precious little pumpkin, and now Chloe's a superhero! Yay!

Also, when you read Hunni's dialog, just imagine like a sassy black woman who doesn't have time for Chloe's garbage. If she's not a ball of sass to Chloe in canon, I'm going to be pretty disappointed.

Also, I hate her weapon. A lot. Tommy's gonna have to do some splaining cause I don't much care for it.

Also, someone stop me from writing MariChat sleepovers in the future, cause I really, really want to. I can't confidently say you guys won't get a drabble when I finish part one cause I'm for it.

At this very moment I have like two/three more scenes left in chapter 12. One of those is a reveal. It should be here by this weekend, hopefully, barring any pop up circumstances. 

Not many people on fanfiction really noticed/mentioned the fact that Adrien kissed Mari on her mouth which surprised me, but just wait until next chapter. It gets better. ;)

As always, let me know what you think, and I'll see you this weekend! ^^

 


	12. Costumes and Masks

Chapter 12 Costumes and Masks

            “Ladybug, it has been some time since I have seen you,” Master Fu offered up one of those warm smiles as Marinette situated herself on the floor.

            “I’ve been trying to figure things out on my own. It doesn’t help me if you tell me all the answers all the time,” She replied, passing a cookie to Tikki. “I’m aware that Chat Noir has been to see you.”

            “A couple times, yes,” He nodded. “How is your new partner?”

            “That black cat has good judgement, I’ll give him that, but his choice didn’t exactly work out, so I had to pick her out myself,” She sipped her tea slowly.

            “When your identities are kept hidden, you can’t expect him to know when he’s making a mistake,” Master Fu pointed out. “He knows a superhero when he sees one.”

            “I’ve always told myself that keeping my identity from him was for the greater good, but lately I’m not to certain,” She stared down at her cup thoughtfully.

            “What has changed your mind?” Mari took a deep breath and explained everything to him. From seeing Hawkmoth, their dreams, to Chat choosing her to wield the Bee because of their odd friendship, and finally her conflictions with telling him the truth.

            “I’m afraid that if I don’t tell him, one day things could be bad, something could happen, and I’d never know, but at the same time, I’m afraid that we wouldn’t be able to work together as well if we found out. What if it makes things awkward? Going at it blind has worked so far, and I don’t want to mess that up,” She rationalized. “But I suffered from those nightmares for a month, and I don’t know what to do. Tikki said he’s allowed to enter my dreams because I trust him, but how much do I trust him if I won’t even tell him who I am?”

            “The decision is yours, Ladybug. Some choose to tell each other, some do not. There are problems on either side, and you have to decide which ones you can handle,” He replied calmly.

            “I know, but that’s the problem. I don’t know what I’d prefer,” She sighed.

            “Take your time to come to a decision. Once you reveal yourself to him, you can’t take it back. Be certain it’s what you want if you choose it.”

            “You know me, always overthinking everything. I think maybe in a few years I’ll tell him. I really don’t know how long we’ll be doing this, honestly,” She shrugged.

            “You two will be together for a long time, Ladybug. I can feel it,” Master Fu smiled, stroking his beard.

            “Good thing I like him, I guess,” She laughed. “His cat puns have strangely grown on me.”

            “That is fortunate indeed,” He chuckled.

            “Can I ask you something?” She crossed her legs underneath her.

            “Don’t you always?” There was a teasing gleam in his eyes.

            “How many Miraculouses are there?” He smiled at her curiosity.

            “Dozens all around the world. They become active at different times throughout history. That book you brought me has been passed down for many generations where many guardians have documented the Miraculous they’ve encountered. It gives us something to do with our time,” He mused.

            “That’s amazing! Have you known any other Miraculous users?” Her eyes sparkled with wonder and awe.

            “Many. In my younger years I went through several partners. Some moved on, some died, and some I never knew what became of them,” He said sadly, gaze distant as he recalled the memory of his partners long past.

            “You sound like you’ve been around for a long time,” Marinette gaped with wide eyes.

            “Each guardian is allotted a quarter of a millennium to watch over the Miraculous. I’ve seen many faces in my lifetime, and I will see many more still,” He sighed nostalgically. “But I’ll save those old stories for another day.”

            “I’d love to hear them,” She said, standing up. “Thank you for listening, Master Fu.”

            “I am always here whenever you need me.” He responded, and as the young girl exited his shop, Master Fu smiled to himself. “All things will be revealed soon enough, Ladybug.”

Adrien

            Autumn was in full swing in Paris as orange leaves painted the town. In mid-October, the students at College Francoise Dupont convinced Mr. Damocles to let them throw a Halloween party at the school to celebrate the American holiday. It was decided quickly among the student body that everyone needed to bring a date which created a conflict for Adrien.

            Of course, he wanted to ask Marinette, but his struggle lied in whether to invite her as a friend or as something more…romantic. The party was still two weeks away, and every time he built up the nerve to ask her, something happened or someone interrupted, and it killed his mojo. Seeing his peers pairing off throughout the week only added to the pressure he felt.

            “Nino, I don’t know what to do. Every time I try to ask her, we get interrupted,” He whined during PE one day.

            “Don’t sweat it, bro. Alya and I got your back. Get her alone after Lit this afternoon, and we’ll make sure nothing comes up,” Nino patted his back reassuringly.

            “Thanks, bro.”

Marinette

            That afternoon at lunch, Chloe had math tutoring, so Mari and Lila ate together on their usual bench alone. The weather was pleasant, and Marinette was in a cheerful mood after the turn out of recent events, despite being undecided about whether or not to reveal herself to Chat Noir. For the moment, she wasn’t worried about it, instead focusing on putting the finishing touches on her costume.

            “Is that for the party?” Lila asked, watching as she sewed.

            “Yep. It’s the last piece I need,” She smiled holding up her red cloak.

            “So, have you been asked to be anyone’s date yet?” Her friend inquired.

            “No, not yet,” Mari shook her head. “You?”

            “Yeah, as if anyone’s going to ask me,” She rolled her eyes.

            “Aww, don’t be like that,” Mari placed a hand on her shoulder, offering up a cheerful smile.

            “It’s true. No one wants to show up with me as their date,” She folded her arms over her chest.

            “Well, why don’t we go together as friends?” Mari suggested.

            “Is that alright?” She cocked a brow.

            “Of course! I can make you a costume to go with mine! Come over this afternoon, and I’ll get your measurements,” She insisted excitedly.

            “I guess. It beats going alone,” Lila sighed, attempting to hide her smile. Marinette could tell she felt relieved that she was willing to go with her. The only other person she might have gone with would have been Adrien since Alya was going with Nino technically, but he could take Chloe that way no one got left out. They were all friends, so it didn’t matter either way, right?

Adrien

            Literature seemed to drag on forever as each time Adrien glanced at the clock only a few minutes had passed. His leg bounced impatiently as he tuned in and out of the lesson because he had much more interesting things on his mind than Hamlet. Interesting things like slow dancing with the sweet girl sitting next to him.

            He’d made up his mind at lunch that he would ask her as a friend, which wasn’t that daunting because she’d most likely say yes to that. At the party, he would finally tell her how he felt, and even scarier than that, he was going to tell her who he was. For a while now, he’d been planning to tell her, and he had hoped to do it after their first battle together, but s _omeone_ had to go and give away the Bee which forced him to rethink his plan.

            The party was it. No more secrets. Nino and Alya had been giving him pep talks all week to tell her how he felt, which is what prompted his decision; however, if he was going to tell her, he was going to tell her everything, give her all of himself because if they did become more than friends, he wanted her to know the truth. He and Ladybug had promised to keep their identities from each other, and he respected that, especially after their failed romance, but who he chose to tell otherwise was his business. He trusted Marinette, and he was going to tell her at the party no matter what.

            When the bell rang to signal an end to the day, Adrien turned to Mari quickly, grabbing her wrist before she could walk away. She looked over at him with a curious gleam in her eyes, and for a moment, he forgot what he wanted to say.

            “Is everything alright?” She asked, and he shook himself.

            “Uh, yeah, I just wanted to talk to you for a second,” He glanced at Alya and Nino who winked supportively.

            “Oh, what’s up?” She smiled.

            “N-Not here. Alone,” He tugged her wrist and led her out to the end of the hall which was completely deserted. Perfect.

            “So, the Halloween party is coming up soon,” He started, heart pounding erratically in his chest.

            “Yeah, I’m so excited! I’m going home to finish my costume then I’ve gotta start working on Lila’s next. We’re going as friends, so I’m gonna make her a costume to go with mine,” Mari explained enthusiastically.

            “O-Oh, you’re going with Lila?” He slumped slightly.

            “Yeah, we decided at lunch,” She affirmed.

            _Dammit! I waited too long._

            “I-I guess, I’ll see you there then,” He winced.

            “Of course! So, who are you going with?”

            “Uhh…” He fished for someone quickly. “Chloe asked me.”

            “Awesome! I was hoping you two would go together,” She grinned excitedly, and he felt his heart sink a little lower. “So, what did you want to talk to me about?”

            “Uh, n-nothing. I…forgot,” He rubbed the back of his neck.

            “Oh, well, just text me if you think of it. I have to go, Lila’s coming over so I can get her measurements for the costume. See you tomorrow!” She waved before dashing off. He would have killed to trade places with Lila, but he couldn’t ask her to go with him instead; she was so excited about making Lila’s costume.

            “So? How’d it go?” Nino smiled when Adrien sulked down the stairs.

            “She and Lila agreed to go together at lunch,” He sighed.

            “What?” Alya growled.

            “Shit, bro, that sucks,” Nino wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

            “It’s fine. I can still dance with her at the party, and I can always pull her away to tell her how I feel,” He said, trying to stay positive.

            “I swear if she doesn’t return your feelings, I don’t know who she is anymore. She’s been so weird lately,” Alya puffed out her cheeks grumpily, folding her arms over her chest. “I mean, I love her and all, but befriending Chloe? That girl needs a brain scan.”

            “That was kind of my doing. I asked her to sit with her in biology, though, she really went above and beyond what I asked,” Adrien admitted sheepishly. One of the many reasons he loved her.

            “That’s Marinette for you. At least Chloe’s been more bearable since they became friends, so I guess I can’t be too mad at her. I just…feel like she’s pushing me away lately,” Alya shrugged.

            “Well, you’re always criticizing her choices, and pushing her to do things she doesn’t want to do,” Nino said pointedly.

            “Okay, ya know what? I didn’t ask for _your_ opinion. I’m just trying to help her-” Adrien left the two to bicker while he headed for the car. He glanced up at Mari’s balcony longingly, wishing _he_ could be the one getting measured for a matching costume. More than anything he just wanted to see her.

            Hawkmoth had been extra diligent lately now that they introduced Queen Bee into the team. They’d been fighting more akumas than ever before which left Chat Noir little time to pay her visits let alone Adrien. Speaking of Queen Bee.

            There was only one person Marinette could be referring to about the Bee, and after observing her in several more battles, Adrien knew beyond a shadow of a doubt who she was. After all, he’d known her for years, and as Gorilla pulled into their courtyard, Adrien dialed the number she’d given him several weeks ago.

            “Hello?”

            “Hey, Chlo. Wanna come over for dinner?” He invited.

            “God yes. Mrs. Cheng cooks for me when I’m working, but on my days off I’m subjected to whatever the hell my dad makes,” She groaned.

            “I am so sorry.”

            “I know,” She sighed. “I’ll see you tonight!”

            “See you soon,” He smiled, hanging up and climbing the stairs. Might as well establish his backup date before she found someone else too.

            “Adrien, you are a saint,” Chloe sighed later at dinner. “This is heavenly.”

            “I’m sure my chef will be glad to hear it,” He chuckled. “By the way, you haven’t been asked to the Halloween party yet, have you?”

            “As if. People may have moved past their little payback schemes, but I’m not exactly high up on the popularity scale anymore,” She grunted.

            “Well, do you want to go together? My dad can have a costume made for you,” He offered.

            “Me?” She cocked a brow.

            “Are you surprised?” She shrugged and took another bite of her roast duck.

            “I thought you would ask Marinette since you like her,” She said simply.

            “W-What? I don’t- I mean, is it really that obvious?” He blushed.

            “I’ve known you a long time, Adrikins. You’ve got it bad for her; I can tell.”

            “She’s going with Lila,” He sighed. “She’s already started making her a costume.”

            “So, what? I’m your plan B?” Chloe teased.

            “Sorry,” He winced apologetically.

            “Well, I owe Marinette a lot, so if I’m going to be second place to someone, it better be her,” She replied haughtily. “So, I would love to be your date.”

            “Look who’s grown up,” Adrien commended with a smug grin.

            “We’re friends now, and we’ve agreed to put the past behind us. I’ll do my best to distract Lila so you can dance with Marinette at the party,” She winked.

            “You’re the best, Chlo,” Adrien laughed, hugging her neck.

            “And don’t you ever forget it.”

Marinette

            Mari sat at her desk, humming to herself while she traced her pattern into the fabric for Lila’s costume. She only had a little over a week to finish it, and with the myriad of akumas lately, she didn’t have a second to spare. Especially not for the stray cat that knocked on her window. She got up with a sigh and moved across the room, pulling it open in one swift motion.

“I’m a little busy tonight, kitty cat,” She folded her arms over her chest.

            “Doing what?” He asked curiously, sitting on the windowsill.

            “I have to make a costume for my friend before our school’s Halloween party,” She explained, going back to her work.

            “A Halloween party?” His ears perked up. “Sounds fun!”

            “I’m really excited for it. My friend Nino’s going to DJ, Alya’s organizing everything, and my parents are supplying the treats,” She replied without looking up.

            “If I crash your party will you save me a dance?” Chat cocked a brow.

            “Are you sure your fangirls will allow it?” She teased.

            “It’s a costume party. No one will know it’s really me,” He pointed out.

            “Fair point. Alright, kitty, I’ll save a dance just for you,” She smiled coyly. “Now get out or be quiet, I have to work.”

            “You won’t even know I’m here,” He vowed, flopping onto her chaise.

            To her surprise, he kept that promise, sitting quietly and flipping through the copy of Hamlet resting close by. She smiled to herself at how calm he was being, stealing glances at him every now and then until the one time she glanced over and caught his eye. His chin rested on his fist as he gazed at her, a small smile on his lips.

            “What?” She blushed. She really didn’t have room to criticize him for doing the same thing she’d just been doing.

            “You’re cute when you work. You get so focus,” He replied teasingly, and she felt her face heat up even more.

            “Shut up,” She bit back a smile. “You’re distracting me.”

            “My apologies. I’ll admire you quieter,” He smarmed, and she felt her heart lurch.

            “Did you want something?” She set her scissors down with a huff, turning to him.

            “Just to see you,” He winked.

            “Have you seen enough?” She cocked a brow.

            “Never, but if I’m disturbing you, I can leave,” He gestured to the window with his thumb. She was shocked at the dread that filled her at that thought, and she turned around again to hide the redness of her face.

            “I-It’s fine,” She mumbled lamely. “Stay as long as you want.”

            “Forever?’ He hummed, rolling onto his back and closing his eyes contentedly.

            “I can get you a water bowl and a litter box if you’d like,” She snickered.

            “And I can eat all the croissants that I want,” He added.

            “I’ll turn you into a fat house cat,” She giggled.

            “Pfft, not likely,” He grunted. “I exercise too much.”

            “Are you going to brag about how much you can lift?” She rolled her eyes, and he turned back onto his side, flexing his biceps.

            “I can lift cars, princess. Not that I like to brag,” He said, sounding majorly impressed with himself.

            “Isn’t bragging your favorite pastime?” She gave him a smug smile.

            “One of them. Gotta let the ladies know how impressive I am.”

            “Well, I only like guys who can lift buses, so you’re gonna have to work a little harder if you want to impress me,” She smirked, and he sat up with a laugh.

            “I’ll get started first thing tomorrow,” He crossed the room and fell into her other chair, rolling up beside her. “Whatcha making?”

            “You’ll see at the party,” She stuck her tongue out.

            “Aww, c’mon! Give me a hint,” He pouted, leaning against her shoulder.

            “It’s from a fairytale,” She replied

            “A prince costume for your boyfriend?” He cocked a brow.

            “ _No_ , it’s a costume for my friend. Adrien’s going with Chloe,” She corrected matter-of-factly.

            “You mean Queen Bee?”

            “So you did guess,” She nodded thoughtfully.

            “I’m not totally stupid,” He said defensively.

            “Of course you’re not,” She rubbed the space between his ears, resisting the urge to run her fingers through it again.

            “Aren’t you worried she’ll steal him away?”

            “I doubt it. They’re just friends; he’s made that abundantly clear, but even if he did fall for her, I’d let him do what made him happy,” She replied, picking up his hand and placing it on her fabric to hold it steady while she cut.

            “How noble,” He commended.

            “Isn’t that what love is? Wanting the other person to be happy?” He seemed pleased with her response.

            “True,” He replied after a while. “It’s why I let you love your boy toy.”

            “Oh, you let me? How nice of you,” Her eyebrows raised as a sly grin crept across her face.

            “Not like that,” He covered his face with his hand. “I flirt with you incessantly because you’re not seeing anyone, but since you love someone else, I respect your feelings for him.”

            “So, if I became his girlfriend tomorrow, you’d leave me alone?” She laughed, moving onto sewing.

            “I would bow out gracefully,” He nodded in affirmation. “But are you really going to become his girlfriend tomorrow?”

            “Probably not,” She shrugged, and he pursed his lips for a moment then smiled.

            “Then I’ll still tell you how cute you look when you’re sewing,” He tilted his head to the side, resting it on his fist as he watched her.

            “You just love attention, don’t you?” She rolled her eyes.

            “Only from you,” His green eyes gave her that heart-melting gaze of affection, sending pin pricks up her spine. As she pushed the needle through the fabric, she shivered to rid herself of the sensation, jabbing her finger with the point accidentally.

            “Ouch!” She yelped, pressing the nick to her mouth.

            “Sorry!” He touched her hand softly, examining the tiny pin hole worriedly for a moment. Once he affirmed that the damage was minimal, he smirked. “I know I can be distracting.”

            “Whatever, it happens all the time,” She rolled her eyes. Chat lifted her hand to his lips, kissing it softly, his eyes never leaving hers. She felt her heartbeat accelerate and warm her face as he continued to hold it, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. When his gaze flicked down to her lips, she felt the prickling sensation return to her spine as he leaned closer. Her mind was blank as she followed his movements, leaning in until their lips brushed ever so slightly, and Chat, being quite the perceptive feline, waited for just a moment causing her breath to hitch in her throat in anticipation before he finally gave her release.

            The kiss was gentle, and Chat cradled her face in his arms, lacing his fingers through her hair. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, her arms wrapping shakily around his neck. Never in her life did she ever think she’d feel so content in his arms, but as he kissed her more deeply, she felt those same little butterflies in her stomach that she felt the first time Adrien had kissed her, and in that moment, she knew she was in deep trouble. Because she liked him. A lot.

            The way his thumb caressed her hair, how his arms tightened around her ever-so-slightly as she rested her head on his shoulder. The way his tongue teased her bottom lip as she pressed closer to him…Damn that cat! It was all so trance-like. It felt safe. It felt warm, and Marinette wanted him to hold her, to kiss her. Somehow that black cat found himself a place in her heart, and she felt incredibly guilty for their past. The way she brushed him off for Adrien…

            Of course, he’d forgiven Ladybug; their ability to share dreams was proof of that. If she told him who she was would he still feel the same way? Would he continue to chase her if he realized he’d been climbing the same tree all along? Should they even be together? She didn’t know for sure, but she also didn’t want to think about it. All that mattered in that moment was him.

            When they finally separated, Chat continued to hold her close, cupping her face in his hand. His eyes searched hers wildly as if he were trying to confirm what had just happened, and she couldn’t really believe it either. She’d just made out with Chat Noir. And liked it. Maybe Alya was right; she did need a brain scan.

            “You owe me a lot of saving,” She blurted, and he let out a breathy laugh.

            “I’ll happily accumulate that debt if you kiss me like that more often, princess,” He nuzzled her nose with his. “You really know how to take a cat’s breath away.”

            “It’s those damn cat puns. You wore me down,” She sighed, smiling playfully.

            “I _mew_ they would,” He pecked her cheek then hugged her closer, nuzzling into her neck. Mari leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, listening to his breathing as she felt the rise and fall of his chest. Something about him felt right to her, and she wondered how long she’d felt that way but refused to admit it.

            Maybe he would still love her in the end. Maybe they could find a way to be together. Or maybe it was just wishful thinking, but a girl could hope, couldn’t she? Being in love wasn’t wrong, even if they were superheroes.

            They stayed that way for a while, holding each other, breathing each other in, but it got late, and Chat bowed out respectfully, placing a soft kiss on her nose.

            “If I don’t see you again before the party, don’t forget to save me a dance,” He winked.

            “I’ll be waiting, kitty cat,” She smiled, returning the warmness of his gaze.

            “Good night, princess,” He breathed, grabbing his staff from his belt.

            “Good night, kitty.”

Lila

            “Hey, Mari, what’s up?” Lila answered her phone as she walked up the street. The Halloween party was tomorrow, and she was doing some last minute shopping.

            “I finished your costume!” She cheered. “Can you come try it on?”

            “Sure, I’m in town, so I’ll catch a bus,” She replied with a smile.

            “Awesome! See you in a bit!”

            As she hung up and tucked her phone into her purse, she bumped into a small old man, falling backward onto her butt. She quickly got up and helped the old man to his feet as he shoved something back into his pocket.

            “Sorry about that. You okay?” She asked.

            “Yes, I’m fine,” He nodded politely, leaning on his cane. “I’m surprisingly hearty for my age.”

            “Well, take care,” She smiled as he limped off. As she turned to head up the street, she felt something crunch beneath her foot, and she lifted her boot to see that her fox necklace had fallen off. _Probably when we bumped into each other, stupid cheap thing._ She thought as she stooped to pick it up. Shoving it into her purse, she veered onto the nearest bus without a second thought about the encounter.

            It wasn’t until the bus pulled away that the old man realized his error. The necklace in his pocket was broken, an impossible feat for a Miraculous. Trixx was now at the mercy of whoever picked up the real Miraculous, and he had failed once again.

            When she arrived at Marinette’s house, her friend welcomed her in excitedly, shoving the costume into her hands before quickly ushering her into the bathroom.

            “I’ll be in the living room!” She called from behind the door. “Show me when you get it on!”

            “Okay!” Lila called back, rolling her eyes. That enthusiasm of hers was too much sometimes, but Lila had to admit it made her somewhat adorable.

            Slipping into her costume, she admired it for a moment in the mirror. Marinette had really out-done herself on it, but it needed one final touch. She pulled her necklace out of her purse, the token of her rebellion against the status quo, and fastened it around her neck once more. As she did, orange light flashed in her eyes and a small creature emerged from the necklace.

            “What the-” She gasped.

            “Whoa, are you the wolf too? I don’t do split loyalty,” It huffed, placing its little arms, er, paws on its hips. It looked like some miniature fox, and Lila had to wonder how hard she’d hit her head on the concrete.

            “Who are you?” She demanded.

            “The name’s Trixx, and I’m a kwami, though you probably already know that. Ugh, humans are so greedy; I love it!” Trixx smirked.

            “A what?” She blinked. “I’ve never heard of a kwami. This is just a costume. Ever heard of Halloween?”

            “I take it you want the tutorial then?” It sighed. “Alright, fine, but listen up cause I’m only gonna say this once.”

            Lila processed everything quickly, a crude smile stretching across her face. She didn’t know what that old man was doing with a magical necklace, but it didn’t matter to her. Now she could be the real Volpina like in that book, and Ladybug wasn’t going to stop her this time.

            “Does it fit?” Mari knocked on the door, sounding worried.

            “Uh, yeah!” She called, pulling open the door as Trixx disappeared into her shirt. “I was just so amazed by how awesome it turned out!”

            “I know! I’m so excited for tomorrow! I’m just glad I got it done in time,” Marinette squealed, admiring her work.

            “You’re some kind of superhuman with a sewing machine, Mari. It’s incredible,” She hugged her neck.

            “Do you wanna see my costume?” She perked up.

            “What’s the Big Bag Wolf without Little Red Riding Hood?” She laughed, and Mari shot off up the stairs giddily.

            Lila fiddled with the necklace, a sly smile playing on her lips. There was a new hero in Paris, and unlike Ladybug, she wasn’t going to be selfish. The thought of little Marinette getting hurt filled her with anger, and she vowed to rid Paris of Ladybug for good, so no one else could ever be hurt by her again. Especially not Mari.

            “Better watch out, Ladybug. The Big Bad Fox is coming for you.”

Adrien

His palms felt sweaty as he stood near the DJ stand with Nino and Alya who were chatting about the set Nino had lined up. It was still early, and Marinette hadn’t arrived yet, but, even still, his heart pounded in his chest like a drum. Tonight was the night he would tell her. 

Chloe stood close by in her witch costume, and, given the circumstances, he’d opted to go as her black cat. No one knew the irony of his costume but him, and soon Marinette would know too. It’s not like he actually dressed as Chat Noir like Nino did; his costume was much more toned down, and, though he was silently hoping that no one would put two and two together about him, it gave him a sort of sick satisfaction.

“Nervous?” Alya asked, folding her red and black spotted arms over her chest. Who else would the head of the Ladyblog show up as?

“Uh, kind of,” He shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Dude, chill, Mari totally likes you,” Nino encouraged, flipping the next record onto the track.

“He’s right, Adrikins. There’s hardly a girl at this school that  _doesn’t_  like you,” Chloe chimed in. Nino looked her over and smirked.

“Isn’t this supposed to be a costume party?” He cocked a brow, and Chloe rolled her eyes.

“Haha, take digs at the mean girl, very original,” She retorted sourly. 

“Oh! Target sighted!” Alya slapped his arm, pointing to the front door where Marinette had just entered, and damn did she look cute. 

“Showtime,” Chloe sang in his ear. She and Alya linked their arms through his and dragged him over to the entrance.

“Yo, sick costume, Marinette!” Kim called. Alix stood beside him, the two dressed as rotting zombies, a mummified Max not too far from them.

“Thanks, Kim,” She smiled, twirling around. She was dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, wearing gray shorts with stripped stockings underneath, and a small basket of treats was draped over her arm. Adrien had honestly never seen anything so adorable in his life.

Seeing her only made his heart beat wilder and his throat close. As much as he tried to reassure himself that everything would be fine, there was still a tiny sliver of doubt. Some small voice in the back of his mind that feared rejection that he tried to ignore. He was going to tell her no matter what.

“Wasn’t Lila your date?” Chloe asked, and Marinette spun around looking perplexed.

“Get in here!” She called, placing her hands on her hips. Reluctantly, the girl crept in dressed in the only costume that would accompany Marinette. Her hood was made of faux fur sewn into the head of a wolf, the rest of her outfit laced with red and black to compliment Marinette’s hood. Adrien felt a tug of jealousy that Lila was the recipient of Marinette’s brilliant mind and expert handiwork. She’d really done an amazing job.

“Whoa, did you make both of these, Marinette?” Alya gasped, running her hands along the red cloak.

            “They’re top notch!” Alix grinned.

            “Very impressive,” Max nodded in agreement.

            “Thanks! I’m happy with how they turned out,” She blushed.

            “Well, let’s see how they hold up on the dance floor. I’m ready to get this party started!” Alya grabbed Mari who, in turn, grabbed Lila, and the three moved to the center of the crowd. It was then that he realized he hadn’t said anything to her because he’d been too dumbstruck. _Idiot!_

            30 minutes. In 30 minutes, Nino would play the first slow song, and he’d make his move. He could do this. Everything was going to be fine.

            “You’re as white as Ivan’s ghost sheet, Adrien,” Chloe snorted.

            “I don’t think I can do this,” He admitted, swallowing the lump in his throat.

            “Don’t you dare back out! Not after all the planning we’ve done. I worked with your DJ-dork and Ladyflop this week so that you can be happy. Don’t make that sacrifice be in vain,” She jabbed his chest with her finger. “Now come on. Dance with me.”

Chloe

            “Nice costume,” A voice sounded behind her as she poured punch into a cup. “It suits you.”

            “Sabrina,” She turned to face her former bff, who was dressed as a vampire. “How are you?”

            “I have therapy twice a week,” She replied bitterly. “It helps.”

            “Well, I’ve already apologized, so I don’t know what else you want,” Chloe took a dismissive sip of her drink and walked away.

            “Nice to see you can hold your own drink!” Chloe winced as she headed back toward her group of friends, or rather, her friend, her former enemy, and her other acquaintances.

            “Someone’s still bitter, I see. That was rough,” Speaking of acquaintances. She turned to see Lila nibbling on a spider-shaped cookie.

            “Well, I was particularly nasty to her, so I guess she has a reason to be,” She grunted.

            “That’s true, I suppose, but she could be a little less petty,” She glanced back at where Mari was chatting with Juleka and Rose.

“I’m supposed to distract you in a few minutes,” Chloe admitted. “Adrien wants to slow dance with Marinette and tell her how he feels.”

“And you’re okay with that?” Lila cocked a brow. “You’re in love with him too, aren’t you?”

“Of course I’m okay with it! Adrien is just a dear friend, and the only reason I’m being accepted by anyone here right now is because of Marinette.” Lila eyed her for a moment with a thoughtful frown.

“You’re lying,” She determined. 

“It’s fine,” She grumbled. “I hope they’re happy together.”

“I told myself the same thing when I realized she liked him, but it still hurt.” Chloe’s gaze dropped to her shoes as she struggled to push the tightness in her chest down without much success.

“I’m not good enough for him. Not compared to her,” She said softly, trying to convince herself as much as Lila. 

“Told myself that too,” Lila laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “Come on. You can tell me all about it and distract both of us from them.”

Chloe let her lead the way to the steps outside the front of the school. She felt her walls rising higher as they sat, and Lila turned to her. Opening up to people wasn’t her strong suit, which Lila picked up on when she glared in the opposite direction.

“If Marinette has taught me anything, I can just talk until you’re ready to open up,” She smirked. “You and I are in the same boat, ya know. Everyone couldn’t care less about us; we both loved and lost Adrien to the only person who even bothered to care about us, so we shoulder the pain we feel, so she can be happy.”

“Except I’ve known them longer,” Chloe grumbled.

“Yeah, which is why I can’t imagine how you feel right now. I only liked him for a day, but it still hurt to lose him. Though I have to admit, when I found out Marinette liked him too, I got a bit jealous, but not for him,” She sighed. “It’s taken me a while to realize it, but I’m jealous _of_ him.”

Chloe glanced at her for a long time, processing her words. How could she not have noticed? It was obvious, the way Lila looked at Mari every day at lunch.

“Does she know?”

“No,” Lila shrugged. “And she probably never will.”

“Then seeing them together really will be hard for both of us…for different reasons,” Chloe commented.

“It’s the same reason, just different people,” Lila hugged her knees to her chest and stared at her shoes. “You love him; I love her, and because we love them, we’re letting them go.”

“Yeah…” Chloe sighed. “Love sucks.”

“Life sucks.”

“That too,” She smiled a little. “I never thought I’d be where I am now. Giving up Adrien to _Marinette_ of all people, and being her friend. Is it bad I still cringe a little at the thought?” The two laughed at that, and Chloe realized she and Lila really were a lot alike.

“You’re not so bad, ya know. Now, I mean. You were pretty bad before,” Lila smirked, and Chloe returned the expression smugly.

“You’re not so terrible either. Too bad everyone else can’t see that.”

“To hell with everyone else,” She rolled her eyes. “They all mean less than dirt to me now with all the grudges and pettiness. Maybe that’s why everyone falls for Mari. She’s a little saint among devils.”

“Isn’t it disgusting?” Chloe gagged. “I mean, we’re cool and all, but her niceness drives me crazy.”

“Ugh, same. I’m sure if we had the option to murder one criminal from history, she’d be the one advocating to save them,” Lila laughed.

“I know! She is such a little do-gooder.” The two smiled at each other for a moment, and Chloe felt her walls slowly lowering.

“Well, should we get back in there and congratulate them?” Lila sighed. “Pretend to be happy even if we’re dying on the inside?”

“I suppose we’ll have to face it eventually,” Chloe conceded, standing up as loud screams sounded from inside. She gripped her bag instinctively.

“That doesn’t sound good.”

Adrien

            Adrien took deep breaths as the clock ticked. Everything was happening as it should. Alya was keeping his fangirls at bay with party games and pictures; Chloe and Lila were outside, and the only thing in his way was Juleka and Rose who were chatting with Mari, and, if he had to guess, those two would break off as soon as the slow song started. Everything was going smoothly.

            Nino gave him the nod as the current song neared the end, and he headed over to Marinette with a gulp. It was only Mari, literally the sweetest human being on the planet, and he was only telling her he loved her and that he’s actually the superhero who often paid visits to her room to kiss her. No biggie, right?

            “Your costume is so cute, Adrien,” Rose giggled as soon as he approached. “I think you and Chloe’s costumes are super clever.”

            “Thanks. I like your, uh, dead doll look,” He rubbed his neck nervously.

            “It was Juleka’s idea! Isn’t it creepy?” She grinned. He had to admit, Juleka looked bloody terrifying in her ripped black dress and dark makeup, but despite Rose’s smoky eyeshadow and powdered complexion, she still looked adorable in her matching pink dress.

            “You’re way too cute to be creepy, Rose,” Mari laughed.

            “I was just thinking that,” He added as Nino announced that he was going to “slow things down a bit,” and immediately his stomach dropped to his feet. When Juleka extended her hand to Rose, Marinette turned to him with a smile, offering her hand to him.

            “Wanna dan-”

            “Yes!” He said a little too eagerly, taking her hand and pulling her into his arms. “I-I’d love to.”

            “Okay,” She giggled, resting her hand on his shoulder. “So, having fun at your first Halloween party?”

            “Well, I’m only here because someone made peace with my father,” He winked. “And, yeah, I’m enjoying the company.”

            “I know! Juleka and Rose were just telling me about this movie they just saw-” Jeez, she was hard to flirt with. He needed to pull out all the stops if he wanted her to understand his feelings, so he pulled her in closer and laced his fingers through hers.

            “I don’t want to talk about them,” He murmured in her ear.

            “Oh, okay. What do you want to talk about?” She asked as he spun her then pulled her back in tighter.

            “Let’s talk about us,” He whispered. “Can we go somewhere more private?”

            “I-I, s-sure,” She stammered, allowing him to take her hand and lead her to the abandoned girls locker room. “Is everything alright?”

            “Yes, everything is fine,” He placed his hands on her shoulders, and looked into those curious blue eyes of hers. She was almost too cute for words, but he needed to say these. “Mari, I don’t want to be friends anymore.”

            “D-Did I do something wrong?” Her eyes widened in fear, and he offered her a reassuring smile.

            “No, in fact, you’ve done everything right,” He laughed, cupping her face gently. “I want to be more than just friends.” As her eyes searched his frantically, he took a deep breath and let his next words fly, “Mari, I love you.”

            A range of emotions crossed her face, and Adrien didn’t quite comprehend all of them. Shock, excitement, worry, fear. He held his breath as she processed his words, searching her expression desperately. She seemed pleased enough, so he leaned down slowly to touch his nose to hers. He could feel her heart pounding in sync with his as he tilted his head, praising everything and anything when she stretched up to meet him.

            Her lips were familiar and sweet, and he felt himself melt against them as he wrapped his arms around her. Everything was perfect. He had the girl he loved, and for the moment, she wasn’t pushing him away. This was real, and they were going to walk out of that room together as more than just friends.

            “Adrien, I…” She started, but he wanted her to know the rest first before she responded.

            “There’s something else I want to tell you because I want you to know everything about me,” He trailed his thumb softly along her jawline.

            “What is it?” He could feel how her heart pounded in her chest as she waited.

            “I’m Chat-”

            His words were cut short as a loud crash sounded from the courtyard, followed by several screams, and Mari shoved away from him like she’d been electrocuted. She rushed back to the door as the shouting started, and he desperately pawed for her. Words weren’t necessary, he could show her.

            “Wait, please, just a second!” He begged, but she pulled away.

            “It’s gonna have to wait,” She said, immersing herself back into the crowd.

            “Marinette! No, I’m…ugh!” He growled, hiding behind the door. “I’ll have to show her when I change back. Plagg, transform me!”

Marinette

            The room was dark, barely illuminated by the moon as she stepped back into the courtyard. Her heart was pounding a million miles in her chest, and in a way, she was grateful for the distraction because she had no idea what she was going to tell him. She glared around in the dim lighting, waiting. This wasn’t just a power outage, no, every hair on her body stood on end, and she knew an akuma was close by.

            “Rose, look out!” She gasped, tackling the girl to the ground as a dark figure appeared behind her. She rolled back over and squinted up at the villain, trying to distinguish its features. Alya pulled out her phone to offer some light, and Marinette’s eyes widened in shock. Was that…

            “Kim?” Alya gasped. Only he wasn’t himself. His movements were sluggish, his gaze distant, almost as if he were a…

            _Zombie?_

            Soon Alix slumped up beside him with the same blank gaze, and Marinette saw more students gathered behind them. Kim tapped Nathanael, and everyone watched in horror as the change spread across his skin and clouded over his eyes.

            “Everyone out!” Mari shouted. “Don’t let them touch you!”

            “This way!” Queen Bee ordered, her spinning tops illuminating a path to the exit, as the chaos ensued. Everyone crowded out the front entrance in a panic, several succumbing to the zombification in the process. Marinette needed to buy them more time to escape.

            She rushed to the snack table and lifted the bowl of punch, tossing it toward the hoard of zombies and spilling the sugary drink at their feet. Several of them skittered and slipped, trying to regain balance on their sluggish limbs, and she smiled triumphantly as the rest of the students made it out safely; however, the not so lucky bunch crowded around her, backing her into a corner against the wall. She needed a new plan. Fast.

            “You’re brave, but your plans could use a little work,” Chat teased, landing beside her.

            “I figured some cool cat would come save me,” She cast him a sly smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he launched them up to their classroom with his staff. He shut the door, and they pushed the bookshelves in front of it.

            “You’ll be safe here. I’ll come back for you when it’s over,” He squeezed her shoulders and shoved the window open. “Don’t forget you owe me a dance!” He called as his staff carried him up to the roof. Tikki was at her side immediately.

            “They’re gonna need our help,” She said. “Transform me!”

            Ladybug swung up to the roof where Chat perched, observing the scene below. Part of her felt a little proud of him for thinking about his moves before running in blindly. Queen Bee was busy taking out zombie slaves below while avoiding their hands, and she knew Chat was probably searching for the leader.

            “Wow, this party’s kind of dead,” She smirked, resting her elbow on his shoulder.

            “I was wondering when you would show up, LB. I always wanted you on my team for the zombie apocalypse,” He grinned.

            “Looks like our other teammate could use some help. Let’s put all those movies to the test, shall we?” Chat nodded, and they hopped down into the courtyard together, front flipping into their landing.

            “Ugh, it’s about time you two showed up!” Bee snapped, redirecting a zombie and kicking it over. “Let’s get the akuma quickly. These freaks are drooling everywhere!”

            “We need to find the original victim. They’ll have the akuma,” Ladybug called, hog-tying Kim and throwing him into a hoard with her yoyo.

            “I have a feeling it’s the smug looking one up top,” Bee pointed where a smaller kid stood at the top of the stairs, sporting the same gray skin, though he had clearer red eyes.

            “That is a good bet,” She praised. “Queen Bee and I will take care of these goons; Chat, can you go shake up the one up there?”

            “With pleasure,” Chat grinned, leaping up top.

            “Behind you!” Bee shouted, throwing a top and smacking Nathanael in the chest, knocking him back several feet.

            “There’s so many of them!” Ladybug grunted, as the masses circled around them, forcing them back-to-back. “Lucky charm!”

            “Please tell me you just got a zombie-cure or something to ram these freaks,” Bee pleaded as a red and black spotted jack-o-lantern landed in her hands.

            “Uh, not exactly,” She winced.

            “Delivery!” Chat called as he launched the akuma down into the crowd and landed back beside them.

            “Okay, so what’s the plan?” Queen Bee asked.

            “The akuma’s in his mask,” Chat informed them, tossing a zombie across the room before it could touch Ladybug. He eyed the charm. “That’s festive, but what are we gonna do with it?”

            “I’m working on that part,” She grunted.

            “Your resistance is futile. Soon no one will be able to escape Dead Walker!” The akuma chuckled darkly.

            “Ugh, you are the worst akuma ever!” Bee whined, throwing a top that knocked into his face, popping his head off. Ladybug eyed the pumpkin in her hands and the akuma’s head as it bounced away and felt the plan forming in her mind as a small smile spread across her face. “No! That’s literally the grossest thing I’ve ever seen in my life!”

            “I have an idea,” She muttered as Kim handed Dead Walker his head, which he screwed back on with a displeased scowl.

            “Got it,” Chat and Bee nodded before Chat propelled himself back up to the second story. She watched as he spread is staff across the width of the courtyard then tossed her yoyo over it, catching Dead Walker around the waist and hoisting him off the ground, using the staff like a pulley. As he kicked and flailed, Queen Bee tossed Chat the jack-o-lantern which he flip-kicked across to Dead Walker. It collided with his head, knocking it off where it flew toward Queen Bee, leaving the pumpkin in its place.

            “Ew, ew, ew, ew!” Bee squealed as she gingerly ripped off the mask and tossed it to Ladybug who crushed it under her foot, releasing the black butterfly.

            “No more evildoing for you, little akuma,” She recited. “I’m freeing you from evil!”

            As she released the purified butterfly back into the sky, Bee handed her the pumpkin, and she tossed it into the air and released her healing magic over the school. Everything was back to normal, and students sat up groggily, shaking themselves as the effects of the akuma’s spell wore off.

            “Pound it!” The three heroes cheered in unison, touching their fists together.

            “I’m so glad that’s over. Worst. Villain. Ever! I need a hot bath,” Queen Bee sighed. “See you guys next time!”

            “Yeah, I gotta go too. I’ve got a little lady waiting for me,” He winked before hopping back to the classroom.

            “Chat, no, wait!” She called in a panic, but he was already gone. She tossed her yoyo up to the roof and swung around quickly, swooping into the open window and releasing her transformation as soon as her feet touched the floor. “Hide, Tikki!” She whispered, shoving a cookie from her treat basket into her small purse.

            “Looks like you were too slow, Bug,” His voice was low and gravely, and Marinette nearly jumped out of her skin as she spun around to face him. _Oh no_.

            “Chat!” She gasped. “How long-”

            “Long enough,” He cut her off, sitting down carefully on the step and covering his face with his hand. Her heart pounded in her chest as he smiled sadly. _No!_

            “You saw?” She asked quietly.

            “Yeah,” He nodded. “I’m such an idiot.”

            “Chat, no,” She moved beside him, placing her hands on his shoulders. What could she say? How could she explain? How could she have been so careless? Did he hate her?

            “I fell in love with the same girl twice, and I didn’t even realize it. God, you are just so… _her_ , and I never even…” His voice trailed off as he hid his face from her.

            “Hey, you’re not stupid. I kept it from you, and you…we’re just…partners, and I already broke your heart once, I don’t….I-I like when you come by…” She scrambled until he looked up at her with pained eyes. He seemed so confused and so sad, and everything she feared registered on his face. Hurt, confusion, shock. This wasn’t how she wanted to tell him, and this was the reason why.

            “I guess you don’t want that dance?” She cocked a playful brow in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood. She offered him her hand with a warm smile, and to her relief, he took it, a small smile of his own tugging on the corners of his lips. “So, are you…okay?” She asked as they swayed to no particular rhythm.

            “Thoroughly embarrassed,” He admitted with a wince.

            “You and me both,” She sighed. “I always thought you’d slip up and change back in front of me first.”

            “Me too. I think that’s why I’m so shocked,” He grinned as some familiarity set in between them. It took most of the weight off of her shoulders as they took jabs at each other, and she was thankful that they still had that much left between them.

            “I was debating on whether or not to tell you,” She bit her lip. “I-I thought after everything that happened…I dunno, I guess I was hoping it would make it easier for us, but I was so afraid of how you would feel knowing it was me, but I guess I don’t have much of a choice anymore.”

            “No, I guess not,” He winced. “It’s fine, um…who you are. I-I won’t tell anyone.”

            “Thank you,” She smiled, and he glanced at his ring briefly. His time was almost up too, and honestly, she never could have expected what happened next if she’d tried. Everything happened in a quick blur.

            “I just hope that you can accept me for who I am,” He said then he spun her around as his powers faded and in that split second, Chat Noir faded, and when he caught her again, she looked up into two familiar green eyes apprehensively.

            She took a few steps back, eyes filling with horrified tears, and a hand flew to her mouth as she sank to her knees. _No!_ Everyone in Paris, everyone in the world, and her partner was the one person she’d already ruined everything with. And now he knew. He knew what she’d done to him, and suddenly she was overcome with all of the guilt and fear she’d been bottling up for so long.

            “I’m so sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” She sobbed, covering her face in shame.

            “Mari, it’s okay,” He soothed, kneeling beside her and rubbing her shoulders as they shook.

            “Do you hate me?” She whimpered. “I’m so sorry!”

            “I could never hate you. Come here,” He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. She didn’t deserve kindness from him, so why?

            “But I…”

            “You did what you thought was best because I didn’t tell you either,” He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and cupped her face. “But you couldn’t bear to see me hurting, so you buried your own hurt to rid me of mine. I could never, _ever_ hate that.”

            “I felt so guilty, I-I…” Her voice cracked, and she buried her face in his shirt again.

            “I know, and I think it’s time you let go of all that pain. I forgive you, and it’s okay.”

Those words were her undoing. Her tears spilled uncontrollably as her bottle shattered into a million tiny pieces, releasing all of the pain, all of the regret that she’d hidden for so long. The truth she’d been running from all this time, and Adrien held her through it all, letting her stain his shirt with her tears until it all washed away.

“Do you feel better?” He asked gently when she finally sat up.

“Yeah,” She examined his costume, her mouth forming a tight line. “Seriously?”

“I thought it was hilarious,” He grinned proudly, and she rolled her eyes. “I guess now you could say… _the cat’s out of the bag_.”

How had she never seen it before? Especially after spending the whole summer with this dork in both forms. Maybe they were both stupid. After all, they both rebounded right back to each other without realizing.

“You really are him,” She sighed, looking him over as that playful smile spread across her face. “You’ve reached a whole new level of lame now, rich boy.”

“Thank you, m’lady,” He bowed, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

“So,” A scratchy voice sounded from inside his shirt. “Now that we’re all feeling better, can I please get some Camembert?”

“Aww, who’s this?” Mari giggled, lifting the small black cat from his collar. “He’s so cute!”

“That’s Plagg, and do _not_ stroke his ego,” Adrien scolded. “He’s spoiled rotten just like the disgusting Camembert he eats.”

“He’s just a little sweetie!” She cooed, scratching between his ears.

“Hey! I’m a 5000 year old, magical being, and you will show me some respe- ooo, a little to the left,” He sighed, melting against Mari’s hand as she massaged his small back with her fingers.

“That’s Plagg alright,” Tikki groaned, flitting up from Marinette’s purse. “Scratch him between the ears and give him some cheese, and he’s all yours.”

“This is Tikki. She’s my voice of reason,” Mari introduced.

“Nice to meet you,” Adrien smiled, offering his finger for her to shake.

“I’m glad you two were able to make peace. Adrien’s been really down since you dumped him,” Plagg moaned as Marinette continued petting him.

“Plagg!” Adrien hissed.

“I’m sorry, and I led you on again by trying to fix it,” Mari frowned.

“N-No, it’s fine. I’m glad you did what you did. I-I probably made things way harder for you though,” He rubbed the back of his neck with a wince.

“Helping you took some of the guilt away. I-I just…I tried to move on and then Chat, er, you kept showing up, and I thought I was losing my mind falling for him- _you_ ,” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I know you confessed your feelings earlier before all of…well, you know, but honestly, I don’t really know how I feel right now. This is all so…”

“Confusing?”

“Yes!” She let out a long sigh.

“Same for me. It’s a lot to wrap my head around,” He ran a hand through his hair.

“What should we do?” She asked with a timid frown, and he considered it a while.

“Why don’t we take some time to get used to… _this_ and figure out how we feel?” He suggested, and she felt a rush of relief.

“Okay,” She nodded, and he pulled her into a tight hug which she accepted gratefully. “I’m glad it’s you, Adrien.”

“Yeah,” He breathed. “I’m glad it’s you too.”

 

Epilogue

Lila sat on the front steps of the school with a disgruntled frown. Of course everything was back to normal all thanks for Ladybug because she was _so_ great. Yeah, right. She lifted her necklace and traced the shape with her finger. Soon enough Ladybug would be kicked off her little throne, and no one would ever have to suffer from her selfishness ever again.

“It seems you still harbor quite the grudge for Ladybug; I can sense it, your hatred boiling deep inside of you,” A deep voice sounded to her right. Her head snapped up, taking in the towering purple-clad figure.

“Who are you?” Her eyes narrowed into a glare.

“You mean you don’t remember me, _Volpina_?”

“Hawkmoth?” She gasped. “What do you want?”

“Ladybug and her little side-kicks are becoming too powerful. I’d like to add to my arsenal as well, and who better to help me than the one who bears the strongest grudge?” He explained.

“I’m listening,” She cocked her head to the side, intrigued.

“I can give you any powers you want to take down Ladybug. All I ask is that you bring me her Miraculous.”

“What do you want it for?” She grunted. “Looking to leap through Paris in spots?”

“What I desire is the power obtained by wielding the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses. If Ladybug falls, Chat Noir will be right behind her,” He said with a twisted grin.

“What’s in it for me?” She asked, folding her arms over her chest.

“You get to take down Ladybug, and when I have my power, I can give you anything you want,” He offered, and Lila considered it a moment.

“I want you to guarantee me one thing,” She said finally.

“Anything you want.”

“My friend, Mari…I don’t want her to get hurt by anything,” She held up her phone’s background, a picture of the two at the Louvre.

“None of my akuma will lay a hand on her so long as she stays out of the way,” He vowed with a solemn nod. “Do we have a deal?”

“Yeah, I’ll help you out,” She smiled crookedly, pacing up a few steps. “But I’m not really up for having your nasty little bugs in my brain again.”

“How else do you expect me to give you powers?” He growled, eyes narrowing into slits.

“Don’t worry,” She held up her necklace as Trixx flitted up beside her with a mischievous giggle. “I’ve got those covered.”

_Part One_

_Fin_

 

* * *

 

Author’s Notes:

Part one is complete!

Was the reveal what you expected? ;) I went with Mari’s perspective because it made more sense because her identity was the one more at stake. If you guys thought pre-reveal angst was rough, wait until you get part two post-reveal angst!

And yes, I’m cooking up some nefarious plans for Hawkmoth and Volpina in part two. Come at me.

Chlola made a little bit of an early appearance as well as some one-sided Lilanette which will continue throughout part two.

I’ve also paired off most of the background couples in the last couple chapters in case you haven’t noticed. I may talk about them sometime soon on my tumblr.

Speaking of my tumblr, I’ll probably post Adrien’s pov reveal on my tumblr sometime soon. It’s like almost the same as Mari’s pov so I decided not to include it here at the end for redundancy reasons.

Let me know what you think! Part two will pick up in December probably. I’m going to take the month of November to get some planning done and take a little break so I can entertain some other ideas I have. I’ll most likely post a drabble of some sort every week, and I may even start up another fic idea that I have, but I will be getting back to LC once my semester is over. It’s kind of taken over my life, and I really need to get serious about school…

See you guys soon!

 Oh, and Happy Halloween! ;)


	13. Forgive and Forget

Chapter 13 Forgive and Forget

The night was cold and quiet as Marinette sat out on her balcony. Sleep tended to allude her ever since the party. It had been five days since they…found out, and adjusting was proving more difficult than they thought which irritated her to no end. Adrien, of course, was more than eager to talk about it, and, in fact, it was _all_ he wanted to talk about, but it ate at her still.

Thinking about that night made her pulse quicken and her stomach churn, and it shouldn’t! She and Adrien were friends, _best_ friends, so she shouldn’t be bothered, and yet, there she sat, wrapped in a blanket on her roof at two in the morning, unable to sleep because when she did sleep, Adrien came knocking. His excitement shouldn’t annoy her as much as it did, but more than anything she just wanted space. Space to think, space to breathe, space to figure out how she felt!

            Her mind felt jumbled and frantic, and her anxiety about the whole situation was suffocating. She should be happy; she should feel relieved. But she didn’t, and she couldn’t tell Adrien that because he accepted it. Accepted her, so why couldn’t she do the same for him?

            When her phone buzzed at her side, she lifted it and peered down at the message from the only person who would possibly know she was awake.

            _You okay? I haven’t felt your mind in a few nights._ She sighed.

            _It’s fine. Just having trouble sleeping._ His response was a sad face, and she waited while he typed, rubbing her sore eyes.

 _Want me to come over, and we can talk?_ It was actually the last thing she wanted.

            _I just need time to think, Adrien._

_Let me help. Be over in 2_

            Marinette groaned, resisting the urge to toss her phone over the edge. Why couldn’t he understand that she wanted to be alone? In the middle of her reply to cease his arrival, she overheard his boots touch down above her.

            “I said I didn’t want to talk, Adrien,” She chided, glaring at him as he perched in front of her.

            “You said you wanted to think,” He corrected with a playful smirk, but she was in no mood to flirt back.

            “I meant alone,” She averted her gaze, shivering as a cold breeze blew by.

            “Mari…” He frowned, forcing her anger to burn hotter. If she ever showed any hesitance or distanced herself from him even a little, he pouted. As if to prove her point, he continued, “Are you disappointed that it was me?”

            “Adrien-”

            “Please, Mari! Just answer me,” He begged, hurt flashing in those gorgeous green eyes.

            “No, I said I wasn’t,” She answered somewhat shortly.

            “Then why don’t you want to talk to me about it? Every time I bring it up you look annoyed,” He reached for her, but she shied away.

            “I’m still processing it, Adrien. Can I have time to think about it, please?” She snapped. “I wasn’t exactly ready to tell you yet; I was _debating_ it, but now it’s out there, and there’s nothing we can do to take it back, so I’m sorry if I need a little time to myself without you bombarding me!” In hindsight, her sleep deprivation made her far less patient with him than she should have been. She deeply regretted what happened next the moment it happened. “Don’t make that face.”

            “I’m not making a face,” He pursed his lips in an attempt to hide the way it quivered.

            “Yes. You are.”

            “This is just my face when my best friend suddenly hates me and doesn’t want to be around me,” He shrugged.

            “Cut the crap, Adrien! You know that’s not true,” She hissed, a little more harshly than she intended.

            “Then why is it so hard for you?” He shot back. “If you’re not disappointed then why?” It was her turn to look away from those big, sad eyes.

            “Adrien, please, just give me time. A little bit of it. I’m not pushing you away forever, okay? I just need…I dunno, a week. Can you give me a week to think about it alone?” She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

            “So, what? I’m just supposed to avoid you for a week? What if an akuma attacks?” His eyes narrowed.

            “We’ll figure it out, okay? Just leave me alone,” She lifted the skylight and slipped back inside, glancing back up into his eyes where angry tears welled.

            “And what happens at the end of the week when you decide you don’t want to be my partner anymore? When you decide you don’t want to be my friend anymore?” His voice was low and gravely. Something inside of her snapped, and she lost every ounce of patience she still possessed. Part of her wondered if she’d ever forgive herself for her next words.

            “If I decide I don’t want to be your friend anymore it won’t be because you’re Chat Noir, it’ll be because you’re an asshole!” She shouted, hands clenched into fists at her sides.

            “Oh, so I’m an asshole for caring?” He countered.

            “No, you’re an asshole for being pushy and impatient!” Part of her worried about waking the whole house, but he made her so angry that the rest of her didn’t care if they woke the whole street.

            “I’m sorry I’m excited that it’s you! I’m _so_ happy it’s you, Mari, and you’re disappointed it’s me, admit it!” He demanded.

            “Ugh! You are so aggravating! You know what? Make it a _month_!” She spat. “Now, get off my balcony, and _leave me alone_!”

            Without giving him a chance to respond, she pulled the window closed forcefully and sank against her pillows, hands trembling. Regret swirled around in her chest as tears started down her face. Great. Now they were fighting again. She hated those stupid eyes of his for making her feel so guilty. He was the one being unreasonable, and she shouldn’t feel guilty for that! She buried her face in her pillow and sobbed quietly for a while until a soft knock sounded above her.

            “Mari, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. Please open up,” He pleaded gently.

            “Jus’ go ‘way, A’rien,” She sniffled into her pillow.

            “Mari, I’m just excited because you’re my best friend, and now I know you’re also my most trusted partner. I just want to share everything with you, and I want you to trust me like you always have…”

            “I said go away,” She repeated more clearly without lifting her face.

            “Maybe if we talk about it, it’ll help you decide. I mean, we’re meant to be together. Our Miraculouses-”

            “I know you can hear me, so please, Adrien,” She looked up through the skylight where he perched, those stupid cat ears flattening sadly against golden hair. “Go home.”

            “Fine,” He sighed. “Sorry I care so much about you.”

            “Adrien-” She groaned, but he disappeared from her view. By the time she got her window open to peak out, he was gone. She laid back down with a sigh, mind even more jumbled than it had been before.

            Her frustration wasn’t about him, and she knew it. No, she was only mad at herself for being so uncertain. She could barely process it all just enough to be his partner again, let alone something more. Because all along she thought she was moving past him, and now she knew she had been running right back to him. Her heart was just as confused as her head, and it annoyed her to pieces. Why did she have to overthink everything?

Adrien

            His fingers drummed on his desk impatiently as he watched the clock. Marinette was running usually late which he was thankful for. After last night, he wasn’t sure if she wanted to talk to him at all about anything. Obviously their friends were going to notice if they didn’t talk to each other at all, right? It was already bad enough that he had to lie to Nino and Alya and tell them he chickened out because of the akuma so they wouldn’t harass her about rejecting him. They were bound to be suspicious if they suddenly acted like they hated each other.

            But what else could he do? Marinette asked for space, and it was evident that she really didn’t want to talk to him at the moment which he didn’t understand one single bit. It was so frustrating! Sure, he was still a little iffy on the romance part of their relationship, but it hadn’t taken him long to figure out that Mari was still his best friend, his most trusted partner! Why couldn’t she at least see that much in him? Was Adrien really that much different from Chat Noir in her eyes? Why was it so taboo for them to be the same?

            He wished he could take it back. More than anything, he just wanted his best friend back; he glanced at her seat with a grimace, thinking about all of the time they’d spent together that summer. It wasn’t possible, and he knew it. This was their reality now, and they had to figure it out the long and painful way.

            “Good morning, class. Let’s pick up where we left off yesterday,” Mrs. Dubois instructed, turning to write a problem on the board. When Marinette slipped in quietly, she added without looking up, “Why are you late this time, Marinette?”

            Mari winced, freezing mid-step, “I overslept.”

            “Take your seat,” Mrs. Dubois rolled her eyes with a sigh. “And get a louder alarm.”

            “Yes, ma’am,” Mari squeaked, slipping on to the bench next to him and pulling out her materials. She didn’t make eye contact with him, so he slumped slightly and angled himself away from her.

            It seemed as though she was serious about not wanting to talk to him at all, which only made him even more anxious to talk to her, but he didn’t want to make her angry any more than he already had. The best thing to do was to leave her alone like she’d asked, though it felt like torture.

            At lunch, he watched her walk across the street with Lila and Chloe longingly. So many things he wanted to say. Many more things he wanted to know. It was going to be on hell of a week without her. Or month. If she was serious…

            Eventually, his feet carried him to Master Fu’s shop, and he stared at the small building hesitantly. He hadn’t intended to go there, but maybe the old man could shed some light on the situation. Or give him a way to fix it.

            “Master Fu?” He called, knocking as he entered.

            “I expected one of you to show up sooner or later,” Master Fu chuckled, seeming slightly amused by his visit. “Ladybug was not the person you were expecting.”

            “No, and I feel so stupid!” He sighed, pacing the floor, too anxious to sit. “And now she doesn’t want to talk about it for a week because she isn’t sure if she wants to be my friend anymore, and I’m really scared I’m going to lose her.”

            “Her mind is very logical. She likely just needs time to sort through all of her ridiculous conclusions as well,” He replied calmly.

            “It took me like a day – _half_ a day - to figure out that I was okay with her, but it’s already been almost a week since we found out, and she’s still thinking!” He ran a hand through his hair.

            “What did you expect? She is your opposite, you know. The yin to your yang. You are very in tune with your heart, and make gut decisions quickly; Ladybug steps back and thinks things through first. It is how you two are balanced,” Fu explained. Adrien sighed and flopped down across from him.

          “I just wish we could forget. I want things to go back to how they were. I miss her,” He sulked. Master Fu stood slowly and walked to the dresser where the phonograph containing the Miraculous box rested. He pulled open one of the drawers and pulled out two traditional Chinese tea cups with the yin and yang symbols painted on the side.

“These cups have been passed down through many generations of guardians. They are endowed with a special magic,” He presented them to Adrien carefully. “If you and Ladybug drink from them, you will both forget what troubles you.”

Adrien eyed them nervously, turning them over in his hands as his heart pounded in his chest.  “And we’ll really forget that we know our identities?” He cocked a brow.

“If that is what truly troubles you,” He nodded, and Adrien jumped up.

“Thank you, Master Fu!” He called, rushing excitedly back out the way he came.

“Kid, you better think long and hard about this,’ Plagg warned as he ran home. “I think you should run it by Ladybug.”

“She’ll be against it, so I’m not going to tell her,” He grunted. “Besides, I’m not supposed to talk to her about Miraculous stuff, remember?”

“I don’t think that’s a very good idea,” Plagg winced.

“What does it matter? We’ll forget, so she can’t be mad because she won’t even remember what she had to be mad about.” Plagg remained silent, dipping back into the bag with a disapproving frown.

During free period he found Marinette alone in the library, looking over their biology homework. Her back was to him, but somehow she knew it was him as he approached.

“We’re not talking about it,” She said shortly, scribbling down an answer on her paper.

“I know,” He replied defensively, sliding down beside her. “I just want you to talk to me at all. About anything, not just…you-know-what. If we don’t act semi-normal around each other, Alya is going to eat us both for lunch, and you know it.”

Mari set down her pencil with a sigh and looked over at him with pained eyes. He held her gaze for a while before she finally looked away, shoulders slumping.

“How do you think you did on that history test?” She asked, picking up her pencil again.

“It was easy. Chinese history is a breeze,” He felt his own tension fading, happy that she was at least willing to speak to him about normal subjects.

“You’d think I’d know a lot about half of my heritage, but I’m pretty sure I bombed,” She groaned, leaning against her fist.

“I can help you if you want,” He offered.

“I-I dunno, Adrien,” She winced hesitantly.

“Please? I won’t bring it up, I swear. We’ll only talk about history,” He crossed his heart and lifted his right hand. She leaned back in her chair, mulling it over with pursed lips.

“Okay,” She said finally. “I’ll come by this afternoon.”

“Thanks, Mari,” He smiled, and she returned the expression sympathetically.

“But don’t you _dare_ bring it up!” Her eyes narrowed sternly.

“I won’t,” He rolled his eyes. And after today, neither of them would have to worry about it again.

When afternoon arrived, Adrien rushed up to his room to set up for Mari’s visit. He wasn’t quite sure how the cups worked, but he might as well stay true to his promise to teach her about Chinese history and culture.

“Wow, you really went all out for this,” She laughed when she arrived, taking in the traditional tea set up on his coffee table.

“To understand the history, you have to be familiar with the culture,” He shrugged, sitting across from her and pour a cup of tea. “So, what do you wanna know?” He asked, passing her a cup before pouring his own.

“Um, I’m pretty sure I missed everything about the Ming dynasty because I missed that lecture because of…well, anyway,” She took an awkward sip of her tea. “This is good. What kind is it?”

“Uh, jasmine. Customary for greeting guests,” He explained taking a sip and watching her carefully.

“Oh, so you’re the tea expert now?” She teased, swirling the leaves around in the bottom.

“Part of my Chinese lessons is learning culture, and tea is a very integral part of a lot of Eastern cultures, so, yes, I am,” He stated matter-of-factly.

“Aren’t you smart,” She snorted, exchanging mocking glares with him as she took another sip and set down her cup.

“Yeah, I like to think so,” He smirked, and she rolled her eyes.

“Let me grab my history book, and we can get started,” She said, standing up and moving toward the chair where she’d set her bag until her legs started to wobble. “Whoa…”

“Mari!” He gasped, jumping to his feet and rushing to catch her before she hit the floor. “Mari, are you okay?”

“I’m really dizzy,” She slurred, blinking slowly as if her eyes could barely stay open, and Adrien hoisted her up and carried her over to his bed.

“You should lie down,” He offered gently, setting her on the mattress as she struggled to remain conscious.

“The hell’s in that tea?” She growled.

“Nothing,” He winced guiltily.

“Liar,” She hissed.

“I’m sorry!” He looked away from those accusing eyes. “But you won’t remember when you wake up.”

“Member what?” Her eyebrows knitted together as she focused on articulating.

“I don’t know how far it will go, but you won’t remember who I really am,” He explained, caressing her cheek softly. “You won’t remember that I’m Chat Noir.”

“Mm gonna kill you,” She glared before her body succumbed to sleep.

“I knew I recognized those cups!” A small voice hissed and red flashed in his vision. “You didn’t even ask her!”

“It’ll be better this way,” He rubbed his own tired eyes as a fog came over his mind.

“Plagg! You let him do this?” Tikki growled.

“I tried to talk him out of it, but he’s stupid, so I say we let him live with it,” Plagg shrugged. “I wish I didn’t have to be part of it though…” He settled into the crook of Mari’s neck and curled up into a ball. “Thanks a lot, kid. Now I’m gonna show her all of your embarrassing secrets.”

“Wha?” Adrien laid back because everything was spinning.

“You’ll understand soon enough,” Tikki sighed, nuzzling against his chest as his vision went black.

When he opened his eyes again, he was back at school on the night of the Halloween party. He blinked in confusion for a moment, glancing down at his ring as the last pad faded and he reverted back to normal. Of course. They’d just defeated DeadWalker, and he was on his way to see Mari because…he had something to tell her, but he couldn’t remember what. All he wanted was to see her. He pulled open the door to the classroom, and Mari turned to face him, a nervous smile on her lips.

“You okay?” He asked, looking her over.

“Yeah, Ladybug fixed everything,” She replied. “I’m fine.”

“I’m glad,” He smiled, pulling her into his arms and hugging her tightly. “I never want anything to happen to you.”

“Adrien…about earlier…” She started, pushing back slightly to look him in the eye. “Before the akuma.”

“When I told you I love you,” He cupped her face and pressed his forehead to hers.

“Yeah,” She averted her gaze. “About that…”

“I want to be with you more than anything, and I’ve wanted to tell you that for so long,” He breathed, brushing his lips against hers as he spoke. “I love you, Mari. Won’t you put an end to my suffering?”

“Adrien, I-” He cut her words off with a soft kiss.

“Yes, love?”

“I think we should just stay friends,” She said, pushing away gently, and his heart sank to his feet as the weight of her words hit him.

“You…” He stared at her in disbelief. “But-”

“I’m sorry, Adrien. I don’t see you that way, and I’m sorry if I made you think differently,” She grimaced.

“It’s fine…” He lied, swallowing the lump forming in his throat.

“I’m really happy that you feel that way about me, but you’re only a friend in my eyes,” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “I hope you aren’t angry with me.”

“Nah,” He swallowed his pride and put on a smile. “It’s fine that you don’t…really.”

“It’s hurting you,” She frowned.

“Yeah, but I’ll get over it. I’ve…been through it before.”

“I’m sorr-”

“It’s okay.” He cut her off. “No hard feelings. Friends?”

“Friends,” She nodded, stepping back into his arms. “Do you want me to leave you alone for a while?”

“Just a little while, yeah. I think it’s best if I move on alone this time. But we’ll be fine. I promise,” He breathed in her scent, that familiar ache setting into his chest.

It made no sense to him. Why would Alya lie to him? Unless she wasn’t the one lying, but why would Marinette refuse him if she really loved him?

 _Don’t you know why?_ A high-pitched voice rang through his ears, and he stepped back to find himself staring down at himself and Marinette, frozen in their embrace with pained expressions; a red kwami floated beside him.

“Tikki,” He stated, mind clearing as his real memories set in again.

“Is that what you wanted?” She asked simply.

“I don’t know…” He shook himself. “Maybe, I-I just, I don’t want to lose my partner.”

“I can give you that reality if you and Marinette both choose it,” Tikki said solemnly.

“Well, she’s never going to choose that,” He sighed.

“What makes you so sure you’ll choose that in the end?”

“What, so are you here to talk me out of it? Are you like my conscience?” He cocked a skeptical brow. “Why is it you instead of Plagg?”

“I’m here to give you some perspective. I’m linked with Marinette, and I have access to her memories, just like Plagg has access to yours,” She explained. “Before you choose, I want you to understand somethings about Marinette.”

“Like what?” He crossed his arms over his chest nervously.

Red light emitted from Tikki, and the scene around them changed, colors and light blurring as they spun. The rush felt similar to a steep drop on a rollercoaster, and soon he found himself standing in Marinette’s bedroom. He glanced around curiously for a moment before Tikki spoke.

“Before she met you and me, she was just a normal girl,” Tikki stated as the scene came to life, and Adrien became aware of the persistent buzz of an alarm.

_“Marinette! Your alarm’s been going off for 15 minutes!” Mrs. Cheng called from downstairs. “You’re going to be late for your first day back at school!”_

_Adrien watched the lump under the blanket shift and groan, a tiny hand reaching out to grab the source of the noise._

_“Got it, Mom,” She replied groggily. Somethings hadn’t changed, he notice with a smile as she crawled from bed and made her way downstairs. “Coming!”_

“Marinette was average, a late sleeper, not that, _that’s_ any different, and also extremely…unfortunate,” Tikki winced as her master clumsily made a mess of the kitchen. “Nevertheless, her parents loved her very dearly, and she had lots of friends because of her kind and enthusiastic nature.”

Adrien’s heart lurched slightly as he watched the loving exchanges between Mari and her parents. Tom and Sabine were forgiving of her mistakes and proud of her achievements. Just like all parents should be.

“She always did her best to be there for her friends and family, which is why it’s not surprising that fate led Master Fu to her.”

_An old, decrepit Master Fu hobbled across the street slowly as an oncoming car raced toward him. Marinette’s gaze flicked in horror between the man and the car, instincts taking over as she quickly stepped into the street, linking her arm through his and rushing him to the other side in the nick of time._

_“Thank you, miss – Oh, what a disaster,” Master Fu stared down at the spilled macarons woefully._

_“Don’t worry; I’m no stranger to disasters,” She insisted, picking herself up with a kind smile. “Oh no! I’m gonna be late! Uh, have a nice day, sir!”_

_Master Fu stared at the small box in his hand with a knowing smirk. “Thank you very much, young lady,” He remarked, tucking his cane behind his back and strutting into the bakery._

“Master Fu and Wayzz can sense auras, and the two agreed that her aura was well-suited for Ladybug, and the constant access to yummy treats for me was an added bonus,” She giggled. “But Marinette didn’t start out so bold and heroic, in fact, she tended to avoid confrontation.”

_“Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” Chloe sneered._

_“Ugh, here we go again…” She sighed softly, wondering what torment Chloe had cooked up for her this year._

Adrien could read how small and hesitant her thoughts were which seemed so unlike her. All of his time there, the two fought like cats and dogs, but Marinette always stood her ground.

 _“Hey! Who elected you queen-of-seats?” A firmer, more challenging voice growled._ Alya. Adrien’s stomach crawled as he watched their exchange, grateful that Chloe had come a long way since then.

_“Come on,” Alya grabbed Marinette’s wrist and pulled her down to the front row where she promptly tripped again. With a groan, she climbed up into her seat and stared dejectedly at the surviving macaron still in the box. “Chillax, girl. No biggie.”_

_“I so wish I could handle Chloe the way you do…” She shrank a little._

“Alya gave her a firm ground to root herself into and became the basis for Ladybug in Marinette’s mind. She admired her confidence,” Tikki explained. “If anyone seemed heroic to her, it was Alya.”

“Whoa,” He ran a hand through his hair. “I-I guess I really didn’t know Ladybug.”

“Why don’t we skip ahead a little?” The room spun and shifted once again until they were back in Mari’s room where she cowered on her chair as she watched the news report on Stoneheart.

_“I hate first days back at school,” She whimpered, glancing down at the small red and black box resting on her desk. “Huh? What’s this doing here?”_

“Needless to say, she wasn’t too keen on the whole superhero thing at first.”

_“H-Help! It’s a…giant bug! A…A mouse! A bug-mouse!”_

“She knew how to make quite the first impression…” Tikki folded her arms as Marinette launched every item within her grasp at her past self, slowly inching toward the trap door. “We weren’t exactly fast friends like her and Alya.

_“What are you?” Mari demanded, glaring down at the cup she trapped Tikki under. “And how do you know my name?”_

“Skepticism, now that’s like Marinette,” He grunted.

_“This must be some mistake. The only superpower I could possibly have is super awkwardness. I know! Alya would know! That’s my friend – well, at least I think she would…She loves superheroes; she’d totally be up for the job! You should go see her.”_

“I can’t believe she didn’t want to be Ladybug. I didn’t even let Plagg finish before I dove in head first. I guess I was so desperate to change my life, but Marinette…she already had everything.”

“Everything but confidence in herself,” Tikki corrected as they watched her transform for the first time. He could feel her displeasure and doubt as she examined herself in the mirror. On the screen, the news report resumed, and she watched as a small figure on a bike trailed behind Stoneheart.

_“Alya?” She gasped._

_“Marinette! Did you get home okay?” Mrs. Cheng called up the stairs, and a rush of panic surged through her._

_“Yeah, Mom! Just…super…” She called back, hurrying up to her balcony as her mother peaked up through the trap door. “Okay, I have special powers, and…this amazing super yoyo-thingy?”_

“I’m sure you remember what happened next,” Tikki giggled as they launched across the city after Ladybug.

“I knew she was a bit soft at first, but I always figured she was just new like I was. She became so amazing so quickly…”

“Not as quickly as you think,” Tikki said pointedly, fast forwarding slightly to his first battle with Stoneheart.

_“Where are you, partner?” He called in frustration from the lawn below. Ladybug looked on, hands cupped over her mouth anxiously._

_“No, I can’t…I’m not gonna be able to do it…”_

“Yes, you will,” He murmured, standing beside her and taking her hand, though it fazed right through.

_“What are you waiting for super red bug? The world is watching you!” Alya shouted, and Adrien felt a wave of her uncertainty and self-doubt along with one question repeating over and over: What would Alya do?_

Adrien watched the scene below through new eyes. All that confidence was borrowed in the beginning, but despite her fear, she acted anyway to save her friend. But she gave herself less credit than she deserved; the ideas and action came from her, not Alya, and he wished she knew that. He wished she could see herself the way he did.

“Don’t worry. She is,” Tikki answered, and it took him a moment to realize she’d read his mind.

“W-Wait? You mean-”

“Plagg is showing Marinette everything she needs to see about you too,” She nodded.

“Great, he’s probably going to show her all of my most embarrassing secrets,” He groaned.

“Don’t worry, Adrien. I’ve got a few of those handy too,” She smiled. “Now, let’s see what happens next. You’ve only begun to see how uncertain she was…”

“Wait, but she already gained her confidence,” Adrien called as Tikki pulled him into a new scene. To the moment they realized their failure.

“Not quite.”

_“This is all my fault!” She pressed her hands to her temples. “I knew it! See, Tikki, I’m not cut out to be a superhero! I’m only gonna keep messing up…”_

“No, you won’t,” He winced, longing to reach out to her. “You’ll be great…”

_“Chat Noir will be better off without me. I’m quitting…”_

“What? Hold on – she never quit! Tikki, this isn’t right.”

“It’s true. Marinette gave up,” She said somberly, watching as she removed the earrings and returned them to the box, sinking to her knees defeatedly.

“No way! This isn’t what happened! We’ve been fighting together all this time. She didn’t quit,” He snapped.

“No. She did, but not forever, obviously,” Tikki said shortly. “Let me show you.”

Adrien pursed his lips sourly as the scene changed once more. He was getting used to the rush, and the determination boiling inside him was unshakable. They fast forwarded to the next morning where Marinette ate her breakfast at the table, worriedly glancing up at the news every so often while her father cleaned up behind her. Tom observed his daughter’s distress and wrapped a comforting arm around her.

_“Listen, I know how upsetting and scary this is, but don’t worry, sweetie. We’ve got two superheroes looking out for Paris and the best way of helping them is to show them we’re not scared because we trust them.”_

_Easy for you to say… She thought, setting her bowl down. “But what if Ladybug fails?”_

“You see, Marinette didn’t think there was anything special about herself. She had no confidence in her own ability and feared the she would only do more harm than good if she continued to fight,” Tikki explained. “The evidence of her failure was everywhere she turned, and she decided to take fate into her own hands by giving her earrings to someone more deserving.”

“No one deserves it more than her!” He folded his arms over his chest grumpily.

“I think she’d beg to differ,” Tikki mused, nodding to Mari as she slipped the box into Alya’s bag.

“Alya?”

“Who else?” Tikki rolled her eyes. “Haven’t you been paying attention?”

“But this doesn’t make any sense! Alya was there when Stoneheart reappeared later, and she was definitely _not_ Ladybug,” He glanced down, a grimace setting in. “Can we not watch this part?”

“But this is where you come in,” Tikki’s eyebrows furrowed.

“I know. It’s a moment that haunted me for months, so if you don’t mind, I’d rather not relive it,” He watched with a pained expression until Tikki fast forwarded again to the moment Stoneheart crashed through the classroom.

_“Come on! Let’s follow them!” Alya coaxed excitedly._

_“Uh…Oh no, you go. I’m finding myself a safe place to hide,” Mari replied, crouching behind a desk._

_“Girl, you’re gonna miss Ladybug in action!” Mari glanced down at Alya’s bag guiltily, picking it up and offering it to her friend._

_“You and Ldaybug will both be better off without me…”_

_“If you say so,” Alya shrugged, dashing off._

_“Wait! Your bag!”_

“Alya abandoning her bag was Marinette and Ladybug’s saving grace,” Tikki cut in. “Marinette’s fate was sealed to Ladybug whether she liked it or not.”

He stared down and relived the moment by her side. The moment she was forced to decide as he narrowly saved Alya from being crushed by a car. All of her doubt and uncertainty, her insecurity and fear bubbled to the surface as her mind raced with options. Only one of them could save Alya and the rest of Paris. Only one person.

_With a resolve determination, she dug through Alya’s bag until she found that tiny box and slipped the earrings on quickly; Tikki reappeared gratefully._

_“I think I need Ladybug!” She said. “I’m still not sure if I’m up for this, but Alya’s in danger! I can’t sit back and do nothing.”_

“That’s my girl,” Adrien smiled proudly as she transformed.

“You helped her a lot too, ya know,” Tikki giggled. “Your words of encouragement were just what she needed to gain back her confidence, even if she did think you were silly for a long time.”

“Can we watch this one? It’s the moment I really fell in love with her, and I-I think I need a reminder.”

“I’ve got a better one for you,” Tikki offered with a smile. He cocked a brow, so she continued, “Let me show you the moment Marinette fell head-over-heels for Adrien.”

“Yes, please!” His heart pounded in his chest as the scene changed once more. “She told me it was because of my umbrella?”

“Among other things…” She winked.

He stood behind her, seeing things from her perspective. Disgust, hesitance, annoyance. To her, he was just another Chloe, but then…Something about his eyes seemed so…honest, sincere. With a loud clap of thunder, her heart started racing, and the face before her become so much more than some rich model. He was kind and caring, not like Chloe at all which was her biggest relief, and the handsome face wasn’t bad to look at either.

_“See ya to…ma – tom – ahaha, whoa, why am I stammering?”_

_“Hey! I think I might have an idea,” Tikki’s past self winked as Mari’s cheeks flushed._

“All that time she was in love with me. Not just for my money or popularity, but for…me,” He felt his own face heating up.

“And she did _love_ you. Sometimes I was a little worried for you,” Tikki smiled smugly.

“Is this the embarrassing part?” He cocked a brow, a crooked smile spreading across his face, and Tikki changed the scene again back to Marinette’s room where she gazed dreamily at her wall covered in pictures of him from magazines. “No way…”

“Yes way,” Tikki giggled as they flew through several clips of Marinette’s flustered fumblings and longing looks from afar.

“So that’s where my phone went,” He chuckled, watching her panic over deleting her embarrassing message.

_“What’s that?” The past Tikki asked in one scene where Marinette sat at her desk with two knitting needles. The color of the yarn seemed familiar…_

_“A birthday present for…Adrien,” She sighed, leaning back in her chair and clutching the yarn to her chest._

“That scarf…It wasn’t from my father after all. Why doesn’t that surprise me?” He shook his head. “Why didn’t she tell me?”

Tikki’s response was to take him through his birthday as Marinette. Her failed attempts to give it to him, forgetting to sign it, her jealousy over Chloe, the akuma, and then…the look on his face as he wore it excitedly, how her heart skipped a beat and how it sank when he revealed that it was from his dad. But he seemed happy, and that was all she really wanted.

“You really are a different breed, Mari,” He gazed at her past self fondly. “And I never truly saw it in you until you removed Ladybug from my eyes; I was so stupid.”

“She never paid any mind to Chat Noir either until after then too,” Tikki pointed out. “You two really are even.”

“Can I see more, Tikki?” He requested. “It’s fun, and she’s really cute when she gets flustered.

“I have _lots_ to show you,” She perked up eagerly as they resumed flying through her past. He paused on a few interactions in particular like the time with her uncle or when Nino tried to confess his feelings for her with his help.

“Ugh! I’m such a doofus! I tried to set her up with Nino,” He laughed, rubbing his eyes with his palms. “He and Alya are _way_ better suited.”

“They can thank Ladybug for that,” Tikki skipped to the part where she locked their two best friends in the cage together.

“She’s such a matchmaker for everyone but herself,” He shook his head as Tikki brought him to a new scene.

Mari followed several meters behind him as they headed to class, working up the courage to talk to him. He walked beside her with an amused grin as she blurted a quick, “Good morning!” then ducked behind a post, hugging her knees to her chest as his past self turned around in confusion, wondering if it had just been his imagination, something, he realized, that used to happen a lot. Marinette tried to take deep breaths to slow her pounding heart.

“Ya know, he’s super friendly and cool, and he thinks you’re awesome if you’d just talk to him,” He said with a singsong lilt, leaning against the wall beside her, though he knew she couldn’t hear him. “All he needs is a chance to appreciate how amazing you are if you open up. He’s stupid and can’t see you if you hide behind a wall.”

“There’s a lot more to see, and we’re running out of time,” Tikki offered, and he pushed away with a nod.

She showed him everything. He watched her grow up in the blink of an eye. Young Marinette and her parents in their loving home… _Chloe_. All the days Marinette came home crying only to be cheered up by her mom and dad. Such warmth and love, something he’d always craved. He saw all of their battles, her general disinterest in Chat Noir to Adrien, and an interesting scene on Valentine’s Day.

“Plagg told me nothing interesting happened, but I knew she said something about a kiss!” He huffed aggravatedly.

“That’s Plagg for you,” Tikki giggled.

“Ugh, mind if we trade? I’d much rather have you than that lazy bones,” Adrien folded his arms over his chest.

“His carefree spirit is just what you needed, is it not?” Tikki cocked a brow.

“Yeah, I guess…” He grumbled, glancing back at the scene where Mari’s jealousy led her to making some less-than-ideal choices.

“My father’s book! Lila took it?” He gasped, crouching under the table with Marinette as she eavesdropped on their conversation.

“Marinette and I got it back,” Tikki revealed. “It’s back with Master Fu now.”

“How did my father even get that book?” He cocked a brow.

“Your mother…borrowed it,” Tikki replied carefully.

“Master Fu knew her?” He turned his attention to Tikki, eyes wide with intrigue.

“Save your questions for another day. Master Fu knows much more than I do,” She held up defensive hands, and Adrien slumped. “I’m sorry, Adrien.”

“It’s fine,” He shook his head, glancing back at Marinette’s life. “I’m glad it’s safe.”

Finally they reached the moment he kissed Ladybug in his room, and he felt all of her excitement and confusion. In the back of her mind, she knew it was wrong, but she wanted to be with him, something Adrien related to full heartedly. The most selfish week of their lives. It was for the best that they moved on from that stage because neither of them were thinking straight, though watching Mari’s reaction to the break up made everything that happened after seem immensely selfish on his part. All she was trying to do was move on and let go of all that pain, and he was too, but it only made things worse for her.

Watching her cry herself to sleep over hurting him was painful to watch. Mari became a shell of her old self, putting on a face for him to make him feel better while she hid her pain underneath. How could he have been so blind? All that time she was healing him, but who was healing her?

“You two have come a long way,” Tikki chimed in as he watched the moment their masks came off. When they were forced to see each other for who they really were. Marinette’s hesitance and confusion over her feelings, and the frustration that confusion brought her. He understood now. Understood her. “There is one last thing I have to show you.”

The scene shifted back to the Halloween Party, the _new_ Halloween Party. They followed Marinette home where they watched her cry herself to sleep again, and Adrien felt knots forming in his chest, seeing how raw she was. Despite what they promised, it did change not only their friendship, but also their partnership. They were imbalanced and hurting and after another year, the reveal happened much differently. More…publicly.

He wasn’t there when the akuma took her earrings, and Mari was exposed to everyone. The moment they failed big time. It ruined her life, and now Paris had no one to purify the akumas Hawkmoth created. Ladybug was lost, and Paris was falling.

“Is this the reality you want?”

“No!” He gasped. “No! Take it back! I want to remember, Tikki!”

The scene before him shattered, and he found himself face to face with Marinette; her eyes were red and puffy as tears spilled down her cheeks. Upon seeing him, she threw herself into his arms, her whole countenance trembling.

“Mari…” He hugged her tightly, glaring up at Plagg. “What did you do?”

“I just showed her your past,” Plagg replied more seriously than Adrien had ever heard him.

“I’m sorry…” She whimpered, and he nuzzled closer.

“It’s alright,” He soothed. “Told you I’d save the Chat Noir sob story for another day.”

“Adrien…” She pulled back and looked him in the eye. “You don’t have to be alone anymore. You’ve got me and Nino and Alya and Papa and Mama a-and…”

“I know,” He wiped away a tear from her cheek. “It’s why I was so scared to lose you. I-I’m sorry I didn’t ask you about this first.”

“I forgive you, and I accept you. I wouldn’t want anyone else in the world to be Chat Noir,” She smiled weakly, and he pulled her back into a tight hug. “But if you ever do that again I’m going to kill you.”

“That’s totally fair,” He laughed. “Good thing Master Fu tricked me with those cups. Things could have gotten bad if we forgot.”

“How so?” She cocked a brow, and looking down into her eyes, he realized that she hadn’t seen what he had. Plagg showed her what she needed to see in order to accept him. She never had to decide whether or not to remember because she never wanted to forget.

“N-Nothing,” He shook his head. “It…doesn’t matter now.”

“So…What do you say? Partners?” She extended her fist toward him with a smile. Her eyes shone with that radiance and determination he so admired, and he lifted his fist without hesitation.

“Best friends,” He nodded, and they reached back before extending their fists forward in their victorious ritual.

“Pound it!” They said in unison, and as their fists met the world around them shattered as they returned to the conscious world with a new found understanding and respect for one another. They’d conquered their hardest trial yet: bearing each other’s burdens, and seeing where they came from as well as who they’ve become. Their foundation was firmer than ever because now they had each other to lift up and carry their burdens, equally yoked with one with the other.

As their eyes opened and met, they smiled to each other, reaching out to twine their fingers together. Two halves of one whole. Yin and Yang. Two people who were always meant to find each other; two people who were always meant to accept each other. Which was fortunate for him because it meant Mari wasn’t mad at him, and he supposed she understood him now as much as he did her.

Master Fu had been right after all. He had forgotten what troubled him most, and he remembered why the girl lying across from him mattered most. She was his best friend, his partner, and the girl he loved with all of his heart. He’d wait forever for her to decide her feelings for him, even if he had to wait the rest of their lives, and no matter what, he was going to stay by her side forever.

 

* * *

 

Bonus Story: Happy Birthday, Kitty!

            The day was like any other, no more special, no less. When Nathalie knocked on his door at 6am for his morning workout, he sat up groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Today was likely to be the same as any other day, so he didn’t feel any more excited as she read him off his schedule for the day. Chinese lesson, piano, school…Typical.

            “Be down in the gym in ten minutes,” Nathalie ordered, pulling the door with her on her way out. “Oh, and Happy Birthday, Adrien.”

            He sighed and got up, heading into the bathroom to change into his workout clothes. A lot had changed for him in a year thanks to Mari. His dad spoke to him more now, and not always in a condescending way. Still, he knew better than to expect much from him considering he knew now that last year’s present was actually from Marinette, meaning his father forgot. Again.

            No, he didn’t expect that to change one bit. His father had an important meeting that evening, and Adrien knew he wasn’t going to miss it. Maybe he’d at least let him go spend time with Marinette and her parents while he was away, but from the sounds of his schedule he was booked. Strangely enough, he wished for another akuma to attack. At least then there would be some excitement to break up the monotony of his life.

            “You look bummed for a birthday boy,” Plagg said, sounding slightly more concerned than normal.

            “My birthdays just usually aren’t any different from normal days,” He shrugged, slipping on his shirt. “At least this year I know Mari will probably give me something again, so that’s a plus I guess.”

            “Yeah, that was kind of low of your father to swipe her gift like that last year,” Plagg folded his arms over his chest grumpily. “Marinette is an angel who doesn’t deserve any meanness.”

            “You only say that because she buys you cheese and scratches your back,” Adrien rolled his eyes.

            “That’s more than you do for me,” Plagg stuck his tongue out, and Adrien had to wonder which one of them loved Marinette more.

            “Whatever,” He huffed, trotting down the stairs to the gym; he stretched his tired muscles for a while before hopping on the treadmill.

            “A lot has changed in the past year for you. Do you think your old man will let you have friends over at least?” Plagg asked, floating beside him as he ran.

            “Doubt it,” He breathed.

            “Ugh, he’s such a party pooper. You should be able to do something fun on your birthday, not stupid Chinese lessons,” He whined.

            “You’re preaching to the choir,” Adrien grunted. “I’m used to it by now, I guess.”

            “Maybe Mari has something planned for you…”

            “Maybe.”

            When Adrien arrived at school, Nino and Alya were chatting heatedly in their seats. Neither of them looked up as he passed, and he knew better than to get between them when they debated. Mari wasn’t there yet, which was not surprising, so he slipped into his seat quietly. Nino turned up to him, and he instantly dreaded what he was about to ask.

            “Adrien, help a bro out. Alya says I can’t jump a trashcan on my bike,” He pleaded, casting a defiant look to his girlfriend.

            “You can’t even jump over the back of your couch without a bike. How the hell does adding a bent metal contraption with tires make you suddenly be able to jump more than 6 inches off the ground?” She shot back.

            “No, it’s true. I’ve seen him do it,” Adrien added which rewarded him with a glare from Alya as Nino “rested his case.”

            “Fine. Prove it after school. If you can do it, I’ll buy you a croissant,” She challenged, folding her arms over her chest. “If you can’t do it, you have to watch chick flicks with me all weekend.”

            “Fine,” Nino huffed. “Better start counting your money. I want two croissants.”

            Adrien tuned them out, wondering if either of them remembered it was his birthday. Not that he expected anyone to go out of their way, but it would be nice for at least his friends to wish him a happy birthday. When Chloe entered, he smiled up at her. Surely she would remember.

            “Morning, Adrien,” She smiled. “Guess what today is?” Bingo.

            “I dunno, what?” He grinned innocently.

            “Pay day! Guess who’s getting her awful nails done after school today!” She squealed excitedly, and he deflated a little. “My cuticles are tragic. I’ve never been so ashamed.”

            “Oh, uh, that’s awesome?” His eyebrows furrowed. “Anything else going on today?”

            “Mmm,” She tilted her head, considering it. “I don’t think so. Marinette offered to help me with my homework tonight when I get off work around six, so I’ll be spending time at the hovel.”

            “Oh,” He winced. “Uh, have fun then.”

            Chloe forgot too. That was so unlike her! Though since she’d become friends with Marinette, she had been hanging on him less and less, so it was possible that she did forget. At least Mari would remember. He thought of the way she’d counted the days last year, working tirelessly on her present. The present that his father hijacked. She was bound to burst in and wish him a happy birthday in that cheerful sing-song voice of hers.

            “Cutting it close today, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” Mrs. Dubois remarked as Marinette slipped in right as the bell rang.

            “I skipped breakfast,” She shrugged, taking her seat. “Morning.”

            “Morning,” He smiled, eyeing her expectantly as she pulled out her notebook.

            “What?” She cocked a brow.

            “N-Nothing,” He turned back to the front, twirling his pen around in his fingers absentmindedly.

            How could she have forgotten? She literally knew every detail about him! Not to mention last year she celebrated without him all day and got him a present even though she barely knew him. She wouldn’t forget her best friend’s birthday, would she? Alya’s birthday was one of the biggest fiascos he’d ever seen, and it had made him super jealous that Marinette made such a big deal out of Alya’s birthday when practically no one ever remembered his. Maybe he’d jinxed himself by thinking that today wouldn’t be any different from all the other days. No one was acting any differently…

            “Hey, what are you guys doing tonight?” He asked when the lunch bell rang. His friends exchanged glances and shrugged.

            “Nino and I are hanging out and babysitting after six.”

            “I’m helping Chloe with her homework then Papa and I are going to watch the latest episode of Dead Rising.”

            “Why?” They all turned to him curiously, and he swallowed back the lump in his throat.

            “Uh, no reason. I just…My dad has an important meeting tonight, so I just wondered if…I’m probably busy anyway,” He winced, shrugging it off.

            “Aww, you’re welcome to come over and help me tutor Chloe if you want,” Mari offered with a sympathetic smile.

            “Uhh, sure, I guess…” He shrugged. It beat staying home all night. “I’ll have to check with Nathalie and make sure my dad hasn’t booked me all night.”

            “Well, just show up if you can. Mama and Papa will always let you in,” She patted his shoulder before skipping off to meet Lila in the park.

            “Hey, I’m free this weekend if you wanna hang out, bro,” Nino offered.

            “Thanks…I’ll let you know,” He smiled sadly, shoving his hands in his pockets and slipping into his waiting car.

            “You will have to eat lunch quickly. Your father requested to move your piano lesson up so you can practice your fencing this evening,” Nathalie informed him, flicking through his schedule on her tablet.

            “Hey, Nathalie…” He started, and she turned to him with a cocked brow. “I-Is there any way I could go see my friends tonight?”

            “You have a small opening from six to seven-thirty tonight, so I suppose you could go, but you won’t have much time to do your homework,” She tapped her chin.

            “I’ll do it there. It’ll be fine,” He promised, and she nodded, adding it to his schedule. “Thanks, Nathalie.”

            The rest of the day was painfully average; classes were boring, and none of his friends ever mentioned his birthday once. He didn’t want to mention it because they’d feel bad for forgetting, and he didn’t want to stress them out. Even still, it kind of hurt that _none_ of them remembered.

            When six rolled around, Gorilla dropped him off at Mari’s house, and he walked inside where Mr. Dupain was closing down the shop for the night. He waved politely, and Tom smiled, locking the gate and approaching him.

            “Hey, been a while since you’ve come around. Busy schedule?” He said conversationally.

            “Yeah. My dad prefers it that way. Keeps me out of trouble,” He laughed, though he felt extremely down that he’d gone his whole birthday without any of his friends realizing.

            “Well, you’ll do great in the real world. The grind never stops unfortunately,” He patted his shoulder. “Come on up, Sabine should have dinner almost ready.”

            “I-I’m not super hungry,” He insisted, but Tom wrapped an arm around him and led him up the stairs.

            “Then you can sit and socialize,” Tom waved it away and ushered him up the stairs.

            “Yeah, I guess that’s tru-”

            “Happy Birthday!” Everyone cheered as Tom opened the door. He stared in shock at the balloons and banner that had most likely taken Mari several hours to paint and at his friends all adorned with cheerful smiles. Marinette’s eyebrows furrowed after a moment, and she approached him cautiously.

            “Are you okay?” She asked, gently reaching out to him, but he couldn’t swallow the knot in his throat, so he pulled her into a tight hug. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

            “I thought you all forgot…” He murmured into her shoulder.

            “That was Mari’s idea,” Alya piped in. “She planned this whole surprise party for you because you’ve never had a real birthday.”

            He pulled back to look Mari in the eye, and she smiled sweetly and brushed away a tear from his cheek.

            “We could never forget you, Adrien. We all love you,” She cupped his face and pressed her forehead to his for a moment before taking his hand and pulling him over to the table, and he almost stopped dead in his tracks.

            “Father?” He gasped, and Gabriel looked up from his cup of tea with a stern expression, though Adrien recognized it as his usual temperament. “I thought you had an important meeting.”

            “Marinette told me to tell you that,” He replied simply, taking a sip of his tea calmly. “After she begged me for permission to have this little get together.”

            Adrien glanced back at Mari who bit back a smile. He hoped she could read the gratitude in his eyes, and something in the way hers softened told him she understood completely. He didn’t deserve a friend like her.

            “Well, blow out your candles!” Mari nudged him toward the cake on the table and hugged him from behind as he stared down at the beautifully crafted cake. “Make a wish.”

            “I already have everything I could wish for,” He murmured softly before taking a deep breath and blowing out the flames in one swoop. His friends crowded around him and pulled him into a group hug which Gabriel refused to be a part of until Marinette pulled him in with a pleading look.

            “Happy Birthday, Adrien!” They all repeated before the hug disintegrated, Gabriel being the first to pull away and straighten his suit.

            “Who wants cake?” Tom asked, pulling out a knife and sliding the cake down to slice it.

            “Open your presents!” Mari bounced excitedly.

            “You guys didn’t have to get me anything…” He winced guiltily, but Alya was already shoving a gift into his hands.

            “We all had to ask ourselves what to get a boy who can afford anything,” She sighed as Nino wrapped an arm around her. “But Mari is always full of ideas.”

            He slowly tore away the paper, and opened the box underneath curiously, breaking into a laugh when he saw what was inside.

            “We know how much you hate it when we drag you into our arguments, so we’ve provided you with a pass to escape any argument we try and pull you into. Reusable as many times as you want,” Nino winked.

            “I appreciate it,” He grinned, setting it aside as Chloe passed him her gift.

            “Don’t laugh,” She ordered, pursing her lips. Curiously, he opened the small box to find a small toy ring inside, a smile breaking out across his face.

            “You kept this?” He cocked a brow.

            “What is it?” Mari stretched up to see.

            “When Chloe and I were little we used to play a lot of games, and she’d always make me her husband or prince,” Adrien explained.

            “And one time I made him promise to marry me for real when we got older, and that was our engagement ring,” Chloe finished. “I used to wear it all the time when I was a kid.”

            “I remember…” Mari said softly, eyeing it with a small smile, leaning against him slightly.

            “What?” Alya leaned in closer to hear better.

            “N-Nothing,” Mari waved it away, straightening.

            “Anyways, I’m giving it back to you because I don’t think we’re right for each other anymore, Adrikins,” She said haughtily, folding her arms over her chest and sticking her nose in the air. “So consider the engagement off.”

            “Thanks, Chlo,” He chuckled, and she cast him a small side smile.

            “This one’s from me and Sabine,” Tom said, passing him a small box.

            “I decorated it,” Mari cut in.

            “With things we bought,” Sabine brushed her nose teasingly.

            Inside was a framed photo of the four of them on the day Tom taught him how to make macarons. He stood in the middle, holding the tray proudly while Mari stood over his shoulder. Tom and Sabine stood on either side of them, holding up bunny ears behind their heads. He smiled down at it warmly, remembering Mari’s promise that he wasn’t alone anymore, and the picture was their way of accepting him into their family.

            “Thank you,” He smiled up at them gratefully. “For everything.”

            “You’re welcome, dear,” Sabine returned the expression, pinching his cheek.

            “Me next!” Mari squealed excitedly, passing him her present and watching him expectantly. He opened it carefully and pulled out a black, knit beanie with cat ears on the top. “He always teases me because I said _one_ bad thing about Chat Noir, so we always give each other black cats as our little joke.”

            “Uh, girl, you’ve said way more than just one bad thing about Chat Noir,” Alya cocked her hip, and Adrien raised his eyebrows at her.

            “Alya, shh!” She hissed.

            “Marinette,” Adrien started, placing a hand on his chest. “I’m hurt.”

            “You’re welcome,” She stuck her tongue out at him.

            “Thank you,” He batted his eyelashes playfully until his father stood up, and all eyes snapped to him. He offered him a tiny box eloquently wrapped in gold paper, and Adrien took it cautiously as if he expected his father to snatch it back at any moment.

            “I’d like you to wear it for your next photo shoot,” Gabriel said, shoving his hands in his pockets as Adrien lifted out a gold pocket watch. He clicked it open to reveal a picture of his mother on the inside, and he traced his thumb over it thoughtfully.

            “Thank you, Father,” He breathed, looking up to meet his father’s gaze. Gabriel nodded, and turned to Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng.

            “Thank you for the cake and tea. It was delicious,” He said formally.

            “You’re welcome, Mr. Agreste,” Sabine waved it away with a smile, and he turned to Marinette.

            “Thank you for keeping my son out of trouble,” He said, slinging his coat over his arm. “Let me know if he’s ever ungracious.”

            “Will do,” She giggled, hugging him tightly around the waist much to his shock. His hands hovered over her back somewhat awkwardly as if he didn’t know what to do with them, though he didn’t seem to ultimately mind it. “Thanks for coming.”

            “Of course,” He replied quietly before clearing his throat and stepping away. “If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. Adrien, you’ll make up your missed lessons tomorrow.”

            “Thank you, Father,” Adrien nodded, and Gabriel paused for a moment before reaching out a hand to ruffle his hair. He smiled down at him briefly before sauntering calmly to the door and slipping out of the room. Adrien stared after him for a moment until he felt Mari’s arms wrap around him.

            “So, what do you wanna do, birthday boy?” She grinned up at him.

            “Hmm,” He considered. “First I want some of that cake then…I wanna kick your butt in Mecha Strike.”

            “Confident. We’ll have to see about that,” She smirked.

            “I’ve been practicing,” He winked as Tom handed him a piece of cake, and everyone broke into conversation.

            He glanced down at his piece which read ‘Adrien,’ written in Tom’s expert lettering, and for once he felt grateful for his birthday. He had amazing friends, and one extremely extraordinary partner who had gone out of her way to make sure he knew how much he was loved on his birthday. She was always the sun in his universe, illuminating his life and providing warmth and comfort whenever he needed it, and as he stood in their small kitchen surrounded by his closest friends, he truly felt that warmth. Marinette seemed to notice his gaze locked on her, and she slipped over to him with a smile.

            “This is for Plagg,” She whispered, shoving a small sweater into his shirt pocket.

            “For me?” Plagg gasped, poking his head out of Adrien’s shirt until Adrien shushed him. “I didn’t tell him, Mari. Just like I promised.”

            “Thank you, Plagg,” Mari rubbed his cheek affectionately before he slipped back inside Adrien’s shirt.

            “Thank you, Mari,” Adrien breathed. “For everything.”

            “You’re welcome,” She blushed, hugging him tightly. “Good first official birthday party?”

            “Yeah, it’s perfect,” He laughed.

            “Good,” She replied, pulling back slightly to look him in the eye. The light in her eyes was so bright, and he’d never seen her look more beautiful. She stretched up slightly, and for a brief moment, he thought she was going to kiss him, but she tilted her head at the last moment to whisper in his ear.

            “Happy Birthday, kitty.”

 

* * *

 

Author’s Notes:

Welcome to part two! Thank you for being patient with me! Hopefully it was worth the wait…

Just to be clear, Mari and Adrien aren’t officially together yet, and they won’t be for a while, but don’t worry it’s gonna be real cute when they get there.

Most of the italics dialog was taken directly from the English dub of the show, so I didn't come up with it. All credit to Hawkdaddy and Zag.

The bonus at the end was an idea I came up with/realized because I mentioned in a previous chapter that his birthday was in November and that Mari wanted to get something for Chat in return for her birthday present, but I didn’t have enough to make it a whole chapter by itself, and it doesn’t really fit with the topic of next chapter, so I made it a small bonus at the end of this one.

I mentioned on tumblr that I’ll have a few bonus stories for this part because I have a couple ideas kind of like that where I don’t actually have enough to warrant a whole chapter, and they don’t quite fit with the other chapters.

I might make a separate “story” for bonus stories and alternate endings for LC so they can be kept all in one place, and I’ll provide background on them. All of the bonus stories will be considered official events that happened outside of the events of the chapters, but alternate endings will just be different ideas that I scrapped because they didn’t develop the regular story how I wanted. Basically lots of scenes and scenarios where Mari and Adrien get together that aren’t actually official.

Also, expect some Christmas drabbles soon! I’ve got a sort of Christmas chapter planned, and I’m going to try and get to it and get it out by Christmas, but no promises. (it’s actually chapter 15)

Anyway, I’m gonna shut up now and go study for my finals…Tell me what you think in the comments and follow me on tumblr if you are so inclined!

 


	14. Identity

Chapter 14 Identity

            “Knock, knock,” His familiar voice echoed through her mind bringing a smile to her lips. She pictured opening a door and pulling him inside, and he landed in front of her moments later with one of his famous boyish grins. “Good evening, my radiant princess.”

            “Can you be serious?” She chided, though a huge grin of her own refused to stray from her lips. “This is an important business meeting.”

            “C’mon, Bug!” He whined. “This is our first dream meeting since finding out our identities. We’re on like a whole new level of trust now!”

            “Okay, but we still have business to discuss,” She laughed, shoving his shoulder playfully. “We need to talk about patrols.”

            “But that’s so boring! Can’t we talk about that later?” He fell across her lap and looked up at her, those perfect lips of his formed into a pout. “I know you’re just as excited as I am.”

            “Of course I’m excited, kitty cat,” She bopped his nose with her finger. “My very best friend is my partner, and I’m walking around with his memories in my head. I’m glad things worked out for us, but we also need to take care of the important ‘boring’ stuff too.”

            “Ugh, you two are plaguing my dreams now too?” A new voice groaned, and Adrien shot up from her lap. “As if I don’t have to put up with enough of your flirting during akuma battles.”

            “Queen Bee?” The other two gasped, exchanging worried glances. Both wondered if she could also see their unmasked faces, but she was clad in her superhero suit and seemed relatively unconcerned with them so they relaxed slightly.

            “So, what exactly is going on?” She placed her hands on her hips. “One minute I’m laying out tanning, the next thing I know, I’m watching you two flirt like newlyweds.”

            “We were not flirting,” Mari interjected defensively.

            “Of course you weren’t,” Bee rolled her eyes. “So, are you going to explain or not?”

            “Well,” Adrien dragged the l out and glanced at Mari for guidance.

            “Allied Miraculous users that trust each other can sort of, sometimes, share dreams to talk about hero stuff that can’t normally be discussed in the regular world. Protects our identities and what not,” She explained roughly.

            “What and you two use it to hook up and snog?” She grunted, cocking a brow.

            “Well, you know…” Adrien smirked and waggled his eyebrows which rewarded him with an icy glare from Marinette so he cleared his throat. “We are always strictly professional.”

            “I could tell,” Bee nodded.

            “Okay, Chat Noir and my’s behavior aside, you being here is actually kind of a big deal,” Marinette shifted the subject. “It means you trust us, and we trust you which is a good thing.”

            “Yeah, now you can be in the know when we talk about boring stuff,” Adrien added, casting a sly smile at Marinette.

            “Like saving Paris,” She elbowed him, and he suppressed a chuckle.

            “So, we have superhero business meetings?” Bee clarified.

            “Yep,” Marinette and Adrien nodded in affirmation.

            “This is a lot more work than I thought,” She threw her head back with a groan. “I always thought you two just sucked at your jobs, but this is really hard.”

            “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Mari folded her arms over her chest, throwing a glare in her direction.

            “I said _used_ to. Obviously not anymore,” She insisted sheepishly.

            “Whatever. It doesn’t matter now,” Adrien cut in. “So, Ma- Ladybug, you wanted to talk about expanding our patrol routes.”

            “I think it would be beneficial if we did. Since there are three of us now, we can cover more ground. Especially with how often akumas are popping up, we need to keep the people of Paris as happy as possible.”

            “We’ve worked out a map to divide the area up evenly,” Adrien started until Mari cleared her throat. “Okay, _Ladybug_ came up with a map.”

            “I’ve noticed that all of the akumas tend to span a limited area which tells me that Hawkmoth’s power to sense negative emotion only stretches so far. I’ve divided us up into three sectors which should be patrolled daily if possible,” She explained. “I’ll send your assignments later today.”

            “Splendid, are we done now?” Bee whined.

            “Yes, you can go back to your fake tan,” Mari rolled her eyes.

            “Thank goodness! Now how do I get out of her-” Before she could finish, Marinette pictured shoving her back through the door and slamming it shut.

            “Temper,” Adrien smirked.

            “Sorry, her whining wears on my nerves after a while,” She groaned.

            “Need I remind you who picked her?”

            “I know, I know, and it’s done her a lot of good so I shouldn’t complain,” She grumbled sourly.

            “She really trusts us to be able to share dreams so quickly,” He commented thoughtfully. “And you know what else it means…”

            “Shut up.”

            “You trust her too, Mari,” He grinned.

            “No,” She turned away from him. “Shut up!”

            “It’s not a bad thing,” He laughed. “We’re all a team. Trust is good.”

            “Yeah, I guess,” She muttered, turning back to him. “I just wonder…”

            “Wonder what?” He laid his head in her lap again, folding his hands neatly over his chest as Mari started trailing her fingers through his soft, golden locks.

            “Well, since we know each other now, and we both know who she is…”

            “You think we should tell her?” He cocked a brow, and she nodded.

            “It just seems unfair. It’s like when we started sharing dreams, and I knew I trusted you, I started to wonder if maybe we should tell each other. Since the only secret is us to her now, I think it’s only right to tell her who we really are,” She shrugged.

            “It would make coordinating easier,” He offered. “But Chloe Bourgeois would know you’re Ladybug.”

            “Ugh, don’t remind me. At least she’s gotten over her fangirl obsession with me,” She pinched the bridge of her nose.

            “Yeah because she’s too busy talking Queen Bee up now,” He snorted. “So in other words herself.”

            “Typical Chloe,” Mari giggled, sobering after a second. “I just can’t come up with a reason _not_ to tell her. I mean, we’re all friends in and out of costume now, so…why not?”

            “I’m jealous. It took you a whole year to trust me,” He huffed dramatically, and Marinette rolled her eyes, squishing his cheeks together with her hands.

            “I can’t go around trusting just any old stray tomcat,” She teased.

            “And you thought I was a player,” He mumbled before she released her hold. “Which I’m still hurt by.”

            “Maybe if you’d focused on fighting instead of flirting, I wouldn’t have come to that assumption,” She folded her arms over her chest with a smirk.

            “Why can’t I do both?” He threw his arms out to the side.

            “Because Hawkmoth is up to something, I’m sure of it now that there’s three of us; he’s going to up his game, and we need to be ready for whatever he’s going to throw at us,” She explained.

            “Well, when can I flirt with you?” He leaned in close, brushing his lips against hers as loud buzzing began to sound around them, and things began to shatter.

            “See you at school, chaton,” She laughed.

            Her voice echoed in his brain as he sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes, reaching for his phone with a groan. It was hard to tell if she was being serious sometimes, and he wondered if she’d thought about his confession the night of the party. They’d both agreed that they needed time to sort out their feelings for each other, and _he_ had been flirting with her before Queen Bee showed up, but… He felt like she was acting pretty normally. Not to mention, she was quick to deny that anything had been going on before Bee showed up, and she always did bring them back to business.

            He fell back against his pillows with a sigh. Maybe he’d give her more time. If he’d learned anything recently, it was what rushing her decisions led to, and he wasn’t keen on starting another fight so soon after resolving their last one. For now, he was grateful that she’d accepted him and that things were going smoothly. It was a new start for them, and he’d be damned if he was going to ruin it.

Chloe

            “So, truth or lie?” Lila asked at lunch that afternoon. Chloe had only mildly paid attention to her story because she figured out it was a lie after twenty seconds. It was more of her and Marinette’s game anyways.

“Mmm, truth,” Mari said after a moment tapping her chin.

Chloe rolled her eyes but couldn’t bring herself to make a smart remark like usual. Her mind was too preoccupied with the note she’d found in her locker that morning, and the dream she’d had the night before. She’d initially thought it was, well, just a dream, but when she found a note in her locker with an address, date, and time along with Chat Noir and Ladybug’s signatures, she began to realize that maybe it had been real after all.

But the more important question was how they knew who she was. _If_  they knew who she was. Did they? Why else would they ask to meet? That is what they wanted right? Should she show up as Chloe or Queen Bee? If they didn’t know who she was, would showing up transformed be a dead giveaway? What if it wasn’t really from them? What if it was a trap?

Ugh. Now she was just being paranoid.

It was probably nothing, and she was just overreacting. Still, she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous about it all day.

“Is there something on your mind?” Lila asked with a knowing cock of her brow as they headed back to class. Marinette had gotten swept up by Alya as soon as they made it back to school, and they trailed several paces behind them. “You were unusually quiet today.”

“I’m just tired from working at the hovel so much,” She lied smoothly, adding an exasperated sigh for good measure.

“Nice try, but I’m a professional liar, which means I’m also a professional lie detector,” She folded her arms over her chest. “Is it Adrien related?”

Chloe remained silent for a moment, figuring Lila was likely to pick out another lie, and she wasn’t about to reveal her secret to her. So she kept walking, letting her lack of response lead her to believe what she wanted.

“You should tell him how you feel,” Lila prompted, seeing that Chloe’s face had fallen.

“What would that solve? He’s completely enthralled with Marinette,” She grunted.

“You’re never going to move on unless you tell him,” Lila pointed out with a sympathetic smile.

“So when are you going to tell Marinette how you feel?” She shot back, attempting to redirect the awkwardness she felt back onto Lila, but it backfired.

“Well, I’m not giving up yet, so I just need the time to be right. I know I’m only a friend in her eyes right now, so I’m working on it,” She twirled around with a crooked smile. “Hey, maybe if I take Marinette, you can have Adrien.”

“Doubt it,” Chloe sighed. “He’s known me too long. I’m pretty sure I’m like a sister to him by now.”

“Ouch. The sibling-zone. More inescapable than the friend-zone. Well, either way, I still think you should tell him,” She shrugged. “Do it soon, mkay? You’ll feel better.”

“We’ll see,” Chloe waved as Lila skipped off to her class.

She had enough on her plate right now as it was with akuma battles, work, extra tutoring sessions, whatever “dream-sharing” thing that happened last night, and now whatever _they_ wanted with her. Lila may have had a point about obtaining closure with Adrien, but now may not be the best time to get it. She wasn’t ready for the heartache she knew would inevitably come afterward.

Watching the way he looked at Marinette from her spot in the back only made things worse. God she’d kill to have him look at her that way at least once, and Marinette was almost completely oblivious. Chloe wanted to hate her, operative term being _wanted to_ , but she’d spent far too long hating her, and, frankly, she was tired of hating.

Never in her life did she ever think she’d accept Marinette the way she did nor did she think that she’d ever refuse to resent her for being the center of Adrien’s attention. Something inside her just couldn’t even if she wanted to because Marinette had forgiven her for all those years of torment and ridicule and done her best to help her since. It wasn’t surprising to Chloe that Adrien preferred her, but it still stung more than she wanted to admit.

Marinette was kind and encouraging, dare she even say pretty, and for years she had wished that people would notice her the way they did Marinette. Not that she’d ever admit it out loud, but part of her felt like Marinette already knew that. Which was absolutely humiliating, and she’d deny it if it ever got brought up. Still, relinquishing the one leg she had up on Marinette, if she’d ever had a leg up at all, was a hard pill to swallow, but something about seeing them together just felt right. So much so that even she couldn’t deny it.

Adrien was her oldest friend, and an unfortunate lesson she’d learned from Marinette is that friends support each other. It would probably kill her inside, but she’d do her best to help him with Marinette if it made him happy. Because he’d never looked at her that way, not even once, and he probably never would. She loved him enough to wish for his happiness above hers, and despite the heaviness in her chest, she wasn’t going to let those two pine around like idiots anymore. If she was going to give up Adrien to Marinette, they were going to be together! So, as reluctant as she was to make nice with Nino and Alya, she approached them at the end of the day to offer her assistance.

“You want to what?” Alya cocked a skeptical brow.

“Adrien is a lost puppy when it comes to girls. He likes to think he can handle them, but I’ve known him almost his whole life, and he can’t. I want to help him get with Marinette, and I know you two are always scheming so…”

“Is this the same Chloe that once threw paint on a girl after she said hi to Adrien in the hall?” Nino tilted his head to the side.

“Or the girl who got Adrien to sign a giant poster of himself on the sly that said he worshipped the ground you walk on to keep other girls away from him?” Alya added.

“Or who constantly kissed him whenever other girls stared too long?”

“Or who-”

“Okay, I get it! I used to be possessive of him, so this is weird, but we’re all civil now, and if Adrien loves her, I want them to be together!” She stomped her foot, and Alya’s lips curved into a smug smile.

“This is very big of you, Chloe,” She praised. “I hate to say this, but…I’m impressed.”

“Shut up. I’m doing it for Adrien, not for any other reason,” She glared in the opposite direction.

“Right,” Nino rolled his eyes.

“Anyways, I’m willing to help you losers set them up so don’t bug me about the past,” She huffed.

“Not a chance,” Nino shook his head, and Chloe’s lip twitched in annoyance.

“Whatever. I’m going to work,” She grumbled through clenched teeth before stalking off.

“We’ll fill you in later, okay?” Alya called after her.

What had she gotten herself into?

The next day, she headed up the street after work to the address on the note. She’d scoped it out the day before, and Hunni promised her it was safe. Even still, her heart hammered in her chest as she approached the small shop, hand hesitating on the knob.

“Are you gonna stand out here all day or are you gonna go in?” Hunni growled in her ear.

“What if it’s a trap?” She hissed back, mindful of the people on the street.

“Girl, you have superpowers. Two words, and you can take down anyone behind that door,” Her companion reminded somewhat impatiently. “Just go in.”

“Okay, fine,” Chloe caved, taking a deep breath before heading inside.

The front seemed to be a small reception area that led to a short hallway. Chloe glanced around nervously before she spotted a neatly folded card on the front desk.

_Come to the back. LB & CN_

“Hunni, I don’t know about this,” She grimaced, nervous pits churning in her stomach.

“Woman up, scardy-bee. It’s fine. I know this place,” Hunni urged.

“Why didn’t you tell me that in the first place?” She snapped.

“Because you’re supposed to trust me,” Hunni argued. “I’m here to guide you, but I can’t do that if you don’t take my advice.”

“Well, why should I trust you? All you ever do is yell at me, and I don’t even know where you came from or why you ended up in my room!” Frustrated tears welled in her eyes, and her fists closed around the card, shaking at her sides.

“I can tell you about that,” Chloe turned to see that Ladybug had emerged from the end of the hall with a kind smile. “I know it was kind of mysterious for us to ask you to meet here this way, but it’s okay.”

“Ladybug!” She sighed with relief, throwing herself into her arms. “I was so worried it was a trap, and Hunni was being so mean, and-”

“Sorry. We just wanted to meet in person for this discussion. Why don’t you come back and have some tea,” She chuckled guiltily.

“Okay,” Chloe sniffled, hugging her arm for support as they made their way to the back. “Can I ask something?”

“You want to know how we knew who you were?” Chloe nodded. “You’ll find out soon.”

The room in the back was small and filled with old Chinese antiques. Chat Noir sat cross-legged on a mat with an older man chatting and sipping tea. The two looked up when they entered and smiled.

“The Queen arrives at last,” Chat remarked with a wink.

“Took her long enough to make up her mind,” Hunni groaned, flitting away from her sweater to the small bouquet on the table.

“Hey!” She gasped, glancing around nervously.

“It’s okay. We’re all familiar with Hunni,” Ladybug assured her. “Some of us a little too familiar.”

“It’s not my fault it took you so long to decide. At least my chosen doesn’t take as long as you do to think about things,” She shot back. Ladybug folded her arms over her chest with a scowl, and Chat Noir suppressed a snicker. “There’s a reason your power is luck cause it’s a miracle you can figure out how to use those charms so quickly.”

“That’s a lot different than- Okay, ya know what? Never mind,” She huffed, plopping down on the other side of the old man who watched with an amused gait. “Why don’t we get down to business?”

“Ugh, you make it sound so serious,” Chat rolled his eyes.

“This _is_ serious,” She chided.

“But it’s also fun!” He retorted, and Chloe glanced between them nervously as Ladybug sighed.

“So, are you two going to tell me what’s going on or do Gramps and I need to leave the room and give you two some alone time?” Chloe interjected. The two exchanged a series of looks, and Ladybug folded her arms over her chest.

“No, no, you go. I apparently make everything boring,” She insisted, so Chat Noir turned back to her.

“We’ve been thinking, and by we, I mean Ladybug-”

“I asked you about it too!” She cut in defensively, but Chat ignored her.

“And we think it’s unfair for us to know who you are when you don’t know who we are,” He continued. “So, we’ve decided to introduce ourselves without the masks.”

“So, who’s the old guy?” She pointed to the man sitting quietly between them. For some reason she got a calming vibe from him despite her suspicions.

“Perhaps I should go first then,” He smiled, and the two heroes nodded respectfully.

“My name is Shen Fu, and I’ll have you know I’m only 187,” A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes, and Chloe was certain her eyebrows would raise right out of her skull. “This is my partner, Wayzz. Together he and I guard the Miraculouses and their secrets.”

“He’s the one that picked Chat Noir and I to be heroes,” Ladybug added. “This shop is a little safe haven of ours.”

“My chosen ones are welcome here any time. Guardians are given expanded time to learn to understand the Miraculous in their possession so that they may better guide the chosen ones on their paths. If ever you are troubled, I am always here,” He bowed calmly before them.

“I guess that means it’s my turn,” Chat Noir spoke up, and Chloe shifted her gaze to him as he took a deep breath and gave the command to change back. Her eyes widened with horror as the green light cleared and those heart-melting green eyes settled on her. “Hey, Chlo.”

Without thinking and before she realized, her palm collided with his face. She looked down at her tingling hand in shock as Adrien touched the red mark on his cheek, eyebrows furrowed. Had she really just slapped Adrien?

“Did I do something to deserve that?” He glanced at Ladybug who shrugged.  
            “Probably,” She smirked.

“I’m so sorry!” Her head snapped up, and she threw her arms around his neck. “I panicked because I wasn’t expecting it to be you!”

“It’s fine,” He laughed good-naturedly. So like him. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” She pulled back with a nod as the small black cat floating behind him cradled a piece of Camembert cheese.

“That’s Plagg doing what he does best,” Adrien gestured with his thumb.

“Don’t patronize him,” Ladybug cooed, scratching under the kwami’s chin.

“He does nothing but patronize me all the time!” Adrien threw his arms out with an exasperated grunt.

“Yeah, but you deserve it,’ She giggled. “I guess it’s our turn now. Tikki, detransform me.”

Chloe felt her stomach drop to the floor. Of course it was her. Who else would be by Adrien’s side? No wonder they were so close now. It should have been obvious to her because they fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. They were a team. Unstoppable. Inseparable. Undoubtedly made for each other. She’d always thought those things about Chat Noir and Ladybug long before she ever joined them. Their energies work well together, and she’d recognized that in Adrien and Marinette without even realizing. It sucked because now she knew for certain that Adrien would never look at her. Even being a superhero, Marinette was always one step ahead of her, and Chloe was almost certain that she was his soulmate.

“Chlo?” He placed a hand on her shoulder, and she glanced up at him, those haunting eyes of his filled with worry. He reached a hand out to steady the cup and saucer shaking in her trembling hands. Her gaze flicked to Marinette who wore a blank expression as if awaiting her inevitable judgement.

“Why am I not surprised?” She grunted finally. “Little Miss Perfect, aren’t you?”

“I’m not perfect. You know that better than anyone,” Chloe looked away.

“You might as well be,” She grumbled.

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes as Ladybug. People have been akumatized because of me, including you,” Marinette winced.

“It makes sense now why you wouldn’t listen to me,” Chloe smirked. “And honestly I can’t blame you.”

“I should have,” Marinette shook her head. “I was biased, more than once, and I’m sorry.”

“I already forgave you for that. Our past is behind us, right?” She replied haughtily.

“I know you and I have had our differences, but we’re a team now, and it’s important to me that we all trust each other for who we are,” She held out a hand to Chloe, and after a moment, Chloe reached out and shook it, using all of her willpower to hold back a smile. She wasn’t very successful, so she pulled Marinette into a hug to hide it.

“I trust you,” She mumbled quietly.

“I trust you too,” Marinette replied even more softly as if she didn’t want anyone else to hear it.

“Aww,” Adrien cooed, and the two ripped apart in an instant, glancing in opposite directions. “Team Miraculous is all in!”

“Okay, fun’s over. It’s business time,” Marinette turned to Mr. Fu, and Adrien slumped but did the same.

            “Trust is very important if you wish to defeat Hawkmoth, and it’s imperative that he not get his hands on any of your Miraculouses. Especially you, Ladybug and Chat Noir,” Fu warned solemnly.

            “Not that I’m trying to suggest anything, Master Fu, but what will happen if he does? Why does he want ours specifically?” Adrien asked.

            “The Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses hold the key to ultimate power. By wielding both the power of destruction and creation, he would have complete control over everything,” Tikki explained as Master Fu stood up and pulled a book from his shelf.

            “And by ultimate power, you mean-?” Marinette cocked a brow.

            “If he can think it, he can do it,” Plagg added sounding somewhat bored.

            “With the ultimate power, he would be between all dimensions. He could see everything that ever was and ever will be, rewrite history or change the future before it arrives. Nothing would be outside of his range,” Wayzz said while his master flipped through his book.

            “Whoa,” They all gasped in unison.

“Whose idea was it to create something like that?” Chloe huffed. “Of course if you create power like that someone is going to use it for evil!”

“Not much is known about the creation of the Miraculous or how many there are,” Master Fu started, and Adrien eyed the book knowingly. “I apologize if Marinette returning this to me caused you any trouble, Adrien.”

“N-No, not at all. I’m glad it’s back where it belongs,” He waved it away, and Master Fu nodded with a smile.

“The original author of this book received Wayzz and this stone from a man named Wei Fong. He was the first guardian of the Miraculouses I possess now, the ones I have given to you. The man he passed them onto was named Jun Luo who began documenting each gem and its powers.

He traveled in search of more Miraculouses until his time was up, and he took on an apprentice to teach everything he had learned. This book and the Miraculouses are passed onto each new guardian. My master was a man named Charles Dumont. He was a very wise man whom I admired greatly. It was during his life time that the ultimate power was last used.

It was also Charles who encrypted this book. Anyone can read it on a surface level, but the turtle Miraculous is the key to decoding its many secrets,” He raised his hands over the book, palms facing down as green light emitted from the stone on his bracelet.

Chloe felt her breath catch as a new wave of text seemed to scrawl across each page with detailed notes in different languages and handwriting. Adrien was adorned with a similar expression, but Marinette surveyed the page with a pensive frown.

“This book holds many secrets, and in the wrong hands it can be very dangerous. Many only know of the absolute control that comes with the ultimate power, but few know the cost. That much energy cannot be contained for long, and it was designed to only be used as a last resort because of the damage it can cause,” Master Fu murmured. “Few also know that it can be stopped.”

“How?” Marinette’s gaze flicked up to meet his.

“The power of all five of the lower tier combined is the check that keeps the ultimate power from being used improperly; however, in this case…”

“We wouldn’t be able to stop him if he still possessed his Miraculous,” Marinette’s eyes widened in understanding, and Master Fu nodded in confirmation.

“And I’m afraid at present, we’ve only got these two left to stop him if he is successful,” He held up his wrist and nodded to Chloe. “Which brings me to a mistake I must confess…”

“You lost Trixx?” Plagg shrieked, cupping his tiny paws on either side of his face in horror.

“Trixx awoke about a month ago, and I decided it was time to issue another test to find a master for her because she can be difficult to work with, but I failed and lost the true fox Medallion in the city. I do not know who came to possess it, but I would be on guard until they reveal themselves. I apologize for the trouble my mistake may cause you,” He bowed before them humbly.

“It’s alright, Master Fu. We’ll figure it out. We’re Team Miraculous, remember?” Adrien grinned, and the old man cast him a grateful smile.

“We can bet if Hawkmoth catches wind of a rouge superhero, he’s going to take advantage of it. We’ll have to find them before he does if he hasn’t already,” Marinette tapped her chin.

“My head hurts,” Chloe rubbed her temples, and Adrien placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“You learn to just roll with it,” He shrugged.

“So, Master Fu, you’re the one who gives out the Miraculouses, right?” She asked. “What made you pick me?”

“Not in your case,” Adrien smirked. “You were special.”

“I entrusted the Bee for Chat Noir and Ladybug to choose,” Master Fu smiled knowingly.

“This was before Mari and I knew our identities,” Adrien added.

“Wait, how long have you two known?” Chloe held up a hand.

“Since Halloween,” He winced.

“Then why were you two all over each other all summer?” Her eyes narrowed.

“We just started hanging out. It’s not a crime,” Marinette rolled her eyes, and she felt her lip twitch.

“Anyway,” Adrien interjected. “Master Fu gave it to me, I gave it to Marinette, and well…”

“Oh, just say it!” Mari growled. “I picked you, okay?”

“ _You_?” Chloe scoffed in disbelief, and Marinette averted her gaze. “Why?”

Marinette considered it for a moment, lips pursed, then shrugged.

“The past is the past. We’re friends now in our own way. Though I have to admit, I knew for a while that it was you, but I was too stubborn to entrust you with it until I knew you were changing for the better. When you made an effort to make up for your mistakes…I thought it would be good for you,” She rubbed the back of her neck. “Whatever. You’re welcome.”

“Aww,” Adrien grinned again, pulling them both into a side hug which they accepted awkwardly, pulling away the moment it was acceptable.

“So, Adrien had a question for you, Master Fu,” Marinette cleared her throat, and Chloe felt him stiffen.

“Yeah, just, um…” He bit his lip, hands balling into fists. He took a deep breath and looked up. “What can you tell me about my mother?” Chloe’s brows raised in surprise.

“What would you like to know?” Master Fu asked patiently, and Adrien shifted.

“Everything,” He replied shakily. “Anything.”

Master Fu stroked his beard for a moment before pacing over to the antique chest and rummaging through it. Marinette shifted closer to him as he picked at his shoelaces nervously and placed her hand over his. She wondered how long those two had been sharing dreams, and how close they’d grown from being partners for so long. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense why they’d been so close. They were made to work together, so naturally they’d been drawn to each other outside the mask.

She hated how jealous it made her. It was petty and stupid to think that she had a right to him just because she’d known him longer, but something in the way Marinette looked when his mother was mentioned made her realize that Adrien had probably shared more with her than he’d ever tell her. It was as if she understood how he felt because even her hands shook a little too. At that point, Chloe wouldn’t have been surprised if they told her they were the same person split into two halves or some other bubblegum, fairytale bullshit like that.

Master Fu returned a minute later with a worn leather journal and handed it to Adrien.

“Part of my job as a guardian involves working with other Miraculous users at times. I’ve had many partners who have helped me understand the Miraculouses better, and I keep journals of our adventures. You mother was no exception,” He explained.

“My mom was a Miraculous user?” His eyebrows shot up to his hairline.

“We were good friends, she and I,” Master Fu nodded as Marinette flipped open the journal carefully. In the front was a photo of Adrien’s young mother along with Master Fu who looked relatively the same save for a few more gray hairs. “We both had an inclination for innocent mischief.”

“Who was she?” Marinette asked as she and Adrien studied the picture with fond eyes.

“Le Paon was what she called herself,” Master Fu replied, pouring himself another cup of tea. “She was quite the character.”

Adrien smiled down at the picture lovingly while Marinette flipped through more photos and journal entries. Chloe could only vaguely remember Adrien’s mom because she’d only talked to her a few times. Mrs. Agreste spent more time with Chloe’s mom while she and Adrien played together, and of course, Chloe had been too consumed with Adrien to really care. They’d come to her mother’s funeral, she remembered, but that was the last time she saw Mrs. Agreste in person.

“Whoa, you know Gabriel?” Marinette gasped, bringing Chloe back to the present as she lifted up a photo of Adrien’s parents with Master Fu.

“But of course,” He chuckled. “I remember when they met. Your mother couldn’t stop gushing about how talented he was and how she admired him. He never was a man of many words, but she loved him all the same.”

“That sounds like her,” Adrien remarked softly. “How _did_ they meet?”

“I think that is a question for your father,” Master Fu dodged with a mischievous glint in his eye. “They married after only a few months of dating, and it was only 6 months after that when she told me she was expecting.”

“ _I’m expecting. A little boy, can you believe it, Fu?_ ” Marinette read from the journal.

“ _My little Adrien,_ ” Adrien continued. “ _Every day I feel him move, and I love him more and more._ ”

“Let’s keep Paris safe for him,” Master Fu recited with a nostalgic smile. “She loved you very much.”

“Yeah…” Adrien offered up a pained smile.

“Master Fu, do you know anything about her disappearance?” Marinette asked as she rubbed Adrien’s back.

“I’m afraid I know just as much as you do. I am sorry,” He bowed his head sadly.

“It’s okay,” Adrien shook his head, straightening his spine. “Thank you.”

“Why don’t you hang onto that journal for a while? I’m sure you will find more use out of it than I will,” He offered, and Adrien nodded.

“Thank you for all of your help, Master Fu. We’ll keep an eye out for the Fox Miraculous and check in with you later,” Marinette smiled at the old man fondly, a look he returned with equal emotion.

“I apologize for any inconvenience it may cause you,” He bowed slightly, and Adrien stood up, a defiant smile spreading across his face.

“There’s no way anyone can take us down! I’m confident that whoever it is won’t be a problem,” He declared confidently.

“Team Miraculous is unbeatable!” Marinette echoed energetically, fist-bumping him before they both turned to her.

“Yeah, well, this has all been fun, go team, whatever, but some of us have work to get to,” She waved them away, but after a moment of pleading stares, she touched her fist to theirs quickly and stood up. “Come on, Hunni. We’re leaving.”

“We’ll walk with you,” Adrien offered.

Great. The last thing she wanted was to watch those two play coy and make goo-goo eyes at each other. Still, they _were_ her crime fighting partners and her friends. It would seem suspicious of her to decline under the circumstances. Not to mention, they were all most likely headed to the same place.

“Okay,” She said shortly, waiting as they gathered their bags and said goodbye to Master Fu.

“It’s not too weird for you, is it?” Marinette asked after they walked up the street in silence for a moment.

“I’m…adjusting,” She admitted. “I used to worship Ladybug, so I’m having a bit of a crisis now that I know it’s you. Ugh.”

“Trust me. I hated it as much as you do now,” She rolled her eyes.

“Hey, I’m still a huge Ladybug fan if it makes you feel better,” Adrien winked.

“Yes. Thank you. I feel _so_ much better,” She retorted dryly.

“Me-owch. Do I need to bring up the-”

“No, you do not,” Marinette cut him off quickly. “Bring _that_ up, and I will end you, Agreste.”

“Mmm, doesn’t stop me from thinking about it,” At that, Marinette groaned.

They had their own inside jokes, how disgusting. Of course, she knew it was just her jealousy talking, but they were so comfortable around each other. For as long as she’d known Adrien, he had always shied away from her touch, mostly because it was always forceful, but that was beside the point. She really was bad at making friends it seemed.

Her partners seemed to sense her unease, and she soon found both of their arms wrapped around her waist.

“We’re both Queen Bee fans too,” Marinette offered.

“And Chloe Bourgeois fans,” Adrien added.

“Well, the new Chloe anyway,” Mari corrected. “She’s becoming someone pretty great.”

If only she knew.

“Thanks,” She smiled softly as they rounded the corner to the bakery.

“Hey, kids,” Mrs. Cheng greeted as they entered the bakery. “Chloe, Tom just pulled some baguettes out of the oven a little while ago. Can you put them out once you get settled?”

“Sure,” She nodded, lifting her apron off the hook.

“We’ll be upstairs,” Mari said as they made their way to the back door.

“Finally, some peace and quiet,” She sighed once they were gone.

“Those two always light up around one another, don’t they?” Mrs. Cheng laughed. “Young love is so exciting.”

“They’re so annoying. They never shut up,” She groaned, stocking the displays up front.

“They can be a bit sweet, huh?” She admitted.

“It’s not that, it’s just…” She hesitated, fingers tightening around the tray in her hands. “I’ve known Adrien since we were little, and…he’s never looked at me that way.” She didn’t realize she was crying until Mrs. Cheng handed her a handkerchief, and she dabbed her eyes with it. “Which until recently I don’t blame him for,” She sniffled. “Even now after everything you guys have done for me, I just hate seeing him look at her! I’m just horrible, I guess.”

“You are a young girl who has had a rough upbringing and a lack of good influence,” Mrs. Cheng lifted her chin. “You lost your mother at a young age, and you mimicked the behavior you observed. Who you have been doesn’t equal who you are now,” When Chloe remained silent she continued, “Adrien may not love you, but don’t ever let that make you think you’re horrible. Everyone gets jealous sometimes, sweetie. It’s what you do with that jealousy that shows who you are.”

“Why are you so nice to me?” She hiccupped. “After everything I’ve done to Marinette…”

“Tom and I offered you a job here to help you. Not just financially but emotionally too. We saw a young girl who needed someone to show her another way. Someone who needed love more than anything. And you’ve made a lot of progress, more than you think,” Mrs. Cheng smiled warmly.

And that was where she utterly lost it, burying her face in her chest to muffle her sobs. It had been a long time since someone held her like that, and she had forgotten what it felt like. What it felt like to have a mom.

“Thank you,” She murmured quietly when her sobs had calmed considerably.

“It’s like I tell Adrien all the time, you don’t have to thank me for caring. I’m a mom. Caring about the little babies that pass through my life is just what I do,” She chuckled. “Now, let’s make some more meringues, shall we?”

Marinette

“Ya know, I actually think she handled it better than we thought,” Adrien said thoughtfully as Mari pushed open her trap door.

“I know. I’m surprised. Either she’s a good actress, or she really isn’t as freaked out as I thought she’d be,” She admitted, scanning the room briefly for any stray projects for his birthday surprise she was planning. Once she deemed the coast clear, she climbed up.

“She handled it much better than you did,” Adrien teased, following behind her.

“Oh, shut up,” She rolled her eyes with a huff. “We were a little different.”

“Yeah, cause we liked to play mushy face in and out of costume without telling each other,” He fell onto her chaise, propping his arms behind his head with a wistful sigh. “The good old days.”

“Yes, the days when I was tormented by guilt. Thank you for reminding me,” Her mouth pressed into a firm line as she crossed her legs in her chair carefully.

“Hey, we can play mushy face now, if you want. Guilt free.” He waggled his eyebrows, and she gave him her infamous absolutely not look.

“I don’t know if I’m ready to go back down that road yet…” Her gaze dropped to her lap. Sure, they were much closer now, and maybe they were flirtier than before, but she wasn’t quite sure she trusted herself yet. Because she was reminded of the reason she had to leave him in the first place. She’d gone too far, and she was afraid that if she let herself have feelings for him again that it would all end up the same. They both needed to grow up a little more before she’d consider it again.

“Okay…” He rolled onto his back and pursed his lips.

“I-I do care about you a lot, but…” She took her time formulating her next sentence. “I’m the first girl you ever fell in love with, and you’re the first boy I ever truly loved beyond a silly schoolyard crush, although it _was_ silly at times, and I just think that maybe we should, I-I dunno, fish around some more?”

“You mean like…date other people?” He cocked a brow.

“Just to see who else is out there. What if we’re missing someone we’re meant to be with because we can’t stop looking at each other? I mean, things usually seem to end in disaster when we get too close, so what if we’re not meant to be? I just think that we should explore other options before we come back to each other,” She twirled her hair around her fingers nervously as she explained.

“If that’s what you want,” He winced. “I mean, I know things weren’t the greatest, and we were a little crazy about each other at times, but I thought we could work on that.”

“Maybe we will. Maybe we won’t find anyone else, but don’t you think we should at least consider it for a little while?” She shrugged.

“How long is a little while?”

“I-I dunno, until we’re ready?” She bit her lip, and he drummed his fingers on his chest.

“I guess,” He said finally.

“You don’t want to.”

“No, it’s not that. I-I just never really thought about looking at anyone else, but…it couldn’t hurt,” He insisted. “I’m just upset that you don’t still have pictures of me plastered all over your walls, and you don’t drool when I walk by anymore.”

“I never drooled!” She huffed, cheeks flushing pink. “Noticeably…”

“That’s because you were always hiding,” He teased, and she kicked her chair away from the chaise.

“See? This is why we should see other people. You drive me crazy,” She chided with a laugh.

“Yeah I did,” He smirked.

“Hey! Watch it, rich boy. I wasn’t kidding about ending you,” She pointed challengingly. “I have a lot of sharp tools over here, so don’t tempt me.”

“Oh? Are you going to knit me to death?”

“I could cut off all of your hair,” She picked up a pair of scissors and snipped them in his direction. Adrien sat up with a horrified gasp.

“You wouldn’t dare,” He placed a hand on his chest. “My beautiful golden hair that you spent months dreaming about running your fingers through-”

“I’m cutting it,” She stood up and crossed the room, Adrien grabbing her wrist when she got too close.

“No, I need it!” He whined.

“No, you don’t,” She shook her head.

“My father will be very angry with you if you cut it,” He shot back.

“Doubt it. He likes me,” She grinned.

“If you cut it off, you can’t play with it anymore,” He pointed out as the scissors neared his skull. She rolled her eyes and sat back, dropping the tool on the floor in a sign of surrender. “I’ve found your weakness.”

“Mine and yours,” She laughed as he scooched closer so that she could run her fingers through his soft strands. “You are such a cat.”

“Mmm, guilty,” He sighed contently. “Where am I gonna find another girl that likes to pet me like you do?”

“Uh, literally anywhere in Paris?” She offered.

“Yeah, but those are all crazy fangirls,” He pouted.

“Oh, like I wasn’t a crazy fangirl?” She cocked a brow.

“You were different,” He shook his head slightly. “You only thought I was cool and handsome, talented, ripped, dreamy, totally kissable-” She punched his gut so he finished, “After you found out I was nice.”

“Well, I wasn’t about to fall in love with Chloe, now was I?” She cocked a brow, and he shrugged, seeing her point. “Besides, you didn’t really look at me until Ladybug dumped you.”

“Not entirely true,” He defended. “I’ve always thought you were amazing, but I didn’t think you thought about me that way.”

“And you thought Ladybug did?”

“Well, didn’t she?” He smirked.

“Fair point, but it wasn’t about the you, you thought though,” She reminded him.

“Eh, I turned her head eventually, didn’t I?” He smiled, leaning against her shoulder. “Even if it wasn’t the her that I thought it would be.”

Marinette felt her cheeks heat up.

“Only after I realize he could be sweet under all of his theatrics,” She pushed his nose away gently. “Though now I’m realizing he has a lot more theatrics than I thought.”

“Well, I am my mother’s son,” He fell across her lap dramatically, pressing a hand to his forehead.

“Speaking of,” She pulled his bag closer with her foot and pulled out Master Fu’s journal. “I think you should read this.”

Adrien eyed it for a moment before taking it out of her hands carefully. He flipped open the front page again, and Marinette stood up, ruffling his hair.

“I’ll leave you alone for a while,” She smiled, pulling her chair back over to her desk where she pulled out Alya’s Christmas gift and resumed working quietly.

Occasionally, she’d hear him chuckle under his breath or attempt to hide his sniffling which brought a smile to her lips. It was good for him. She could tell from the look on his face as he scanned each page that it meant the world to him to know her again. What happened to her was still unknown, and maybe they would never know, but she just hoped that she could be there for him whenever he needed her, as a friend or otherwise.

Chloe

“Thanks for dinner, Mrs. Cheng,” Adrien said graciously, waving as they headed out the door.

Chloe did her best to seem at ease, but she couldn’t quite get her spine to relax. Marinette’s parents adored Adrien, and why wouldn’t they? He was the perfect gentleman, and he very clearly liked their daughter. Mrs. Cheng had even admitted it. It was hard to look him in the eye when her heart hurt so much, so she hurried down the stairs to the front door, hoping to avoid him, but she should have known conversation was inevitable.

“Hey, Chloe, wait up!” He called, taking the stairs two at a time to catch up to her. “I’ll walk you home.”

She felt her cheeks warm slightly, but she folded her arms over her chest stubbornly.

“I walk home by myself all the time,” She huffed, but Adrien, being the oblivious cherub that he was, simply laughed.

“Oh, come on. Today hasn’t changed your opinion of me, has it?” He shoved his hands in his pockets as they walked, the most comfortable position she’d seen him in when they were alone in…well, forever.

“You usually hate being alone with me,” She pointed out matter-of-factly, dodging his question.

“Not always,” He defended, and she bit her lip.

“Fine,” She caved, glaring in the opposite direction to hide the hurt on her face.

Certainly it was against her better judgment to hope that this small ounce of attention meant he saw her as anything more than a friend, but she was going to savor every drop while she held it. Even if it was going to make it harder to move on, she still wanted to indulge for just a little while. For one last time. Because the road ahead would be a long and painful one. After all, a girl didn’t just get over the boy she’d been in love with for ten years in one day. No, it would take time to heal this wound, if it ever healed at all. Adrien was the only person she’d ever truly loved. The only one she ever thought was really hers.

But he wasn’t.

And he never would be.

“So, you’re really okay with…everything?” He cocked a brow after the silence dragged on for a moment. She weighed her answer carefully.

“I hate to admit it, but…I’m not surprised. I mean, I _was_ surprised, but it makes sense now,” She shrugged. “You two are perfect for each other.”

“We’re all a team. That includes you, ya know,” He nudged her with his elbow. “Even if you and Mari don’t see eye-to-eye, she trusts you, and so do I.”

“Ugh, all this sappy teamwork talk is making me nauseous,” She grumbled. “More than the usual flirting you two make me put up with.”

“We’re not that bad,” Adrien chided, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Puh-lease, Adrikins. You two are worse than Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng. It’s nauseating to listen to,” He slumped a little, so she hugged her chest, shivering slightly as a cool breeze blew by. “So what are you two anyway?”

“Just friends,” He said softly, eyes fixed on the ground.

“I find that hard to believe,” She grunted, but the sadness on his face was genuine.

_I can’t believe I’m doing this…_

“Do you want to get some coffee and talk about it?” She offered with a sigh, gesturing to the small café across the street. He offered up a weak smile and nodded, and within a few minutes they were sitting together at a small table huddled over their steaming beverages.

“So, just friends?” She cocked a brow. “What’s up with that?”

“Mari’s idea. She wants to see other people,” He commented, stirring cream into his drink absentmindedly. His eyes held a far-off gaze, a small frown curved on his lips.

“She doesn’t like you?” Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, finding that news hard to believe.

“I’m not sure…I-It’s complicated,” He shook his head. “We’re…complicated.”

“I’ve got time,” She prompted, taking a delicate sip without removing her eyes from him. After a moment, he let out a sigh and shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

“This summer…Mari and I were _kind of_ a thing,” He started, twirling a coffee stirrer between his fingers.

“Kind of?” She rested her chin on her fist, and he squirmed again.

“It wasn’t me and Mari, or at least at the time I didn’t know that it was her, but, well, she…I…” He took a deep, irritated breath. “I loved Ladybug for obvious reasons, and Marinette loved Adrien, and there was an art project, and she was just trying to help me out, and we got…carried away and it was secret and…dumb, and we shouldn’t have, and Mari realized that first so she ended it, and it sucked for a long time, and I moved on, or I thought I did, but Marinette didn’t want me for reasons that I didn’t find out until recently, and because of everything that happened between us, and now that we know everything, she wants to think about it, and she thinks it’s better for us to explore other options for a while, and-”

Chloe placed her hand over his and held it tight to quiet the trembling. Eventually, he dropped the crumbled up stirrer and ran a hand through his hair and shrugged.

“I’m sorry,” She said quietly, and he smiled softly.

“It’s not your fault. And maybe it’s what we need, I don’t know. She’s just…” His lips formed a firm line, and he shook his head again. “I was kind of hoping now that everything has settled down that we could try again, but I think she’s just too confused still.”

“Well, she should be,” Chloe shrugged, and his head snapped up in an instant. “Your history is messy, and in a way, I get that she’s trying to sort it out the best she can.”

“So, why not talk about it? Why not work on us? Why see other people?” He held his hands out in confusion.

“Because sometimes girls are private about their feelings. We want to take time to sort them out ourselves before we come to you. I think she’s trying to prevent you both from getting hurt again,” She explained. “It won’t hurt you to go out with someone else while she thinks. It’s not like you have to marry them.”

“I know that, but…” He pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned. “Why is love so hard?”

“Because this is real life and not a movie, Adrien,” She laughed. “Not everyone gets a happy ending.”

_Even if you want one._

“I guess,” He grumbled, tapping the cup with his fingers anxiously.

Chloe finished her coffee, and they continued on toward her house in awkward silence, and for once, she didn’t feel the need to fill it with meaningless words. Neither of them were really in the mood for small talk anymore, both too preoccupied with their own unhappiness. When they reached her small home, she pulled him into a tight hug which he allowed willingly for probably the first time ever.

“Thanks for letting me vent,” He mumbled softly. “I know I’m just being selfish, but...”

“It’s okay,” She shook her head and pulled back. “Give it time. You’re a great guy, and she’ll see that eventually.”

“Thanks, Chlo,” He smiled, taking a step back and shoving his hands back into his pockets. “I’ll see you later.”

“Hey, Adrien…” She bit her lip as her heart sped up in her chest. He paused and turned back to her, curiously tilting his head to one side. “I love you.”

Her words didn’t faze him even a little, and he smiled that warm, familiar smile that she so often daydreamed about.

 “I love you too, Chloe.” And as she watched him walk up the street, her chest burned with confirming grief.

After saying it to him for so many years, she wasn’t surprised by his automatic answer. After all, he’d never known the true emotion she was hoping to convey each time she said it, so why would he now? It’s not like he’d ever felt that way about her which surprisingly didn’t hurt as much as she thought it would. He wasn’t hers. He never had been, and he never would be. That was something she’d known for years even if she’d never wanted to admit it. No, the hurt came in finally giving up. In letting go of her fantasy. Adrien was all she’d ever known of love, and now she wasn’t entirely sure she knew anything anymore. Just like Adrien’s heart was incapable of loving anyone but Marinette, would her heart ever let go of him?

Maybe it would, maybe it wouldn’t.

Of course she didn’t seem to think so as she spent a good portion of the night screaming into her pillow while her helpless father attempted to pat her back and offer reassuring advice until he ultimately gave up and left her to her own devices. Her life was in shambles, and now her heart was too. She’d become so reduced from the person she once was that the red-eyed, puffy-faced girl standing in front of her in the mirror didn’t seem like her at all, and the longer she stared the more unsure she became. Who was she? Without her wealth, without her power, without Adrien.

She glanced at the scissors in the drawer with a decisive frown and picked them up. It was time for a change, and with each snip, blonde waves floated to the floor until she became someone else. The old Chloe was dead and gone, and a new one was being reborn in her skin. 

Losing her luxurious life was one nail in that coffin.

_Snip._

Getting a job at Marinette’s bakery was another.

_Snip._

Becoming friends with her long-time enemy, making amends for her past behavior.

_Snip-snip._

Meeting Hunni. Becoming Queen Bee.

_Snip._

And finally, losing Adrien.

She set the scissors down, and looked at the face again in the mirror. Her eyes were pained, but filled with determination. The old Chloe had no place in her life anymore. She was tired of letting her past haunt her, of letting everyone shove her mistakes in her face. It was time to become someone else, to shed her skin and find a new Chloe Bourgeois, or maybe the Chloe Bourgeois she was always meant to be. And as she examined the remaining waves still framing her face, she placed her hands on her hips and smiled.

It was a place to start.

 

* * *

 

Author’s Notes:

-Mushu voice, rising from the grave- I LIVE!!

I know it’s been a super long time since I’ve updated, but I posted a bonus story for Christmas, so…close enough.

You thought all the angst was going to be between Mari and Adrien, didn’t you? HA!

You’ve only seen the beginning of Chloe’s redemption. She’s going to change a lot more in this one. Before anyone asks, no, she’s not thinking about changing her gender, just her image. Her change is more from a moral, self-realization standpoint and is eventually sexual, but gender identity isn’t something she will struggle with.

Next chapter will get into the villain plot for part two, so prepare yourselves. It only gets more angsty from here.

As always, be sure to let me know what you think and follow me on tumblr if you are so inclined. Click on my name to pull up other works that I’ve done, and keep an eye on the bonus stories cause I’m gonna work on a few based on this chapter and some older chapters.

Don’t know when I’ll get the next chapter up, depends on how busy real life gets, but as always, stay tuned! :)

 


	15. Change

Change

            Volpina sat on the top of the roof of the old hotel formerly owned by Andre Bourgeois, staring out at the city below. She’d grown accustomed to waiting there for the arrival of her partner, and the mastermind behind most of the evil scheming. He wasn’t going to be happy with her news, but somethings couldn’t be helped. After all, the holidays were coming up, and it wasn’t her fault that her stupid family wanted to go back to Italy for Christmas.

            The late fall air was brisk, teasing at the cold winter yet to come, and she felt herself shiver a little, though it wasn’t from the cold. It was the itch she got every time they met and prepared to take Ladybug down. The burning fire of her hatred in her core. But the timing was wrong. Her revenge would have to wait until she got back, but she highly doubted Ladybug would go anywhere in a month.

            “You’re late,” She commented when she felt his presence behind her. She blew several low notes into her flute to shroud them from sight in case the Miracubrats were out patrolling.

            “I got a little tied up with other business,” He stated curtly.

            “Right,” She turned around and hopped down from her perch. “So, who did you bring for me tonight?”

            “A disgruntled office worker who got overlooked for a promotion,” He grinned, stepping aside as his newest devoted follower stepped forward, and Volpina smiled, though it was short lived. She turned back to him abruptly.

            “I need to tell you, my family is going away for the holidays. I won’t be around for a while, so we’re going to have to postpone our plans,” She said carefully.

            “What?” His eyes narrowed, hands clenching into tight fists.

            “I’m not happy about it either, but what better way to ring in the new year than taking down Ladybug?” She pointed out, folding her arms over her chest.

            “I suppose it can’t be helped,” He grumbled, turning and stalking away.

            “Where are you going?” She asked skeptically.

            “I have work to do, so you’ll be training alone tonight. I trust you can handle yourself,” He replied with a crooked smile, and her lips pressed into a firm line.

            “Of course,” She replied, turning back to her opponent and rolling her neck. “Alright, tough guy, show me what you’ve got.”

Chloe

            “Wow,” Lila’s eyebrows raised when she met Chloe the next day at a little café they liked to frequent. “When you said you cut your hair, I thought you only meant a few inches, but you really took a lot off.”

            “It was time for a change,” Chloe shrugged as Lila ran her fingers through her chin-length hair. “I’m tired of carrying around old ghosts. I want to be something new.”

            “I like it,” She smiled. “Reinventing yourself can be good. Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do as teenagers or something?”

            “I just wish I knew where to start,” Chloe sighed, swirling her coffee around with a spoon. “It’s hard when you’ve been a certain way your whole life, ya know?”

            “Hmm…Why don’t you try a lot of things? See what you like and don’t like? You don’t have to change all at once,” Lila offered. “Tell you what, let’s go shopping. Maybe some new clothes will help.”

            “I haven’t been shopping in so long,” Chloe crooned. “I miss it.”

            “Well, we can keep fashion on your list of things you like,” Her friend giggled, standing up. “Who is Chloe Bourgeois? Let’s go find her.” She held out a hand with a confident smile, and Chloe took it gratefully.

It felt nice to have support from a friend, especially someone who wasn’t related to her old self in anyway, and if anyone knew how to reinvent themselves it was Lila. Funny how life had taken her somewhere she’d never imagined before. Six months ago she never would have believed that she’d lose her fortune and end up working at the Dupain-Cheng bakery of all places. She never would have thought that she and Lila could have become such good friends in so little time, or that she would help her move past her old life. As much as people gave Lila shit for lying to everyone, Chloe genuinely liked her, and maybe it was just because she herself was a social outcast now, but in a way, she was grateful. If she’d stayed up on her throne of wealth and power her whole life, she may have never gotten to know Lila. It was an odd feeling she couldn’t quite describe with words, but she knew it made her happy.

Adrien

“Shouldn’t we say something?” Alya whispered to Nino from the loveseat when she thought Adrien couldn’t hear. He was lying face down on the couch next to them wallowing in grief and self-pity.

“Nah, he’ll be fine,” Nino waved it away.

“He’s been like that for an hour,” Alya shot back worriedly.

“He’ll talk about it when he’s ready,” Nino assured her, but Adrien heard a slight huff.

“I can hear you, ya know,” Adrien lifted his head slightly.

“Sorry, just, you kind of came in and flopped there without saying anything. People usually talk about what’s bothering them by now,” Alya winced.

“The dude has like a million extracurriculars, babe. Sometimes he gets tired,” Nino said pointedly.

“Okay, but I know the difference between heartbroken and tired, Nino. He’s definitely stewing about something,” She folded her arms over her chest.

“Again, I’m right here, and my ears work fine,” Adrien sighed and sat up, and Alya turned toward him with a supportive smile.

“What’s on your mind?” She prodded his shoulder, and he pursed his lips hesitantly. “C’mon, gimme the deets.”

“Mari friend-zoned me,” He grumbled after a moment which caught the attention of both parties.

“What?” They said in unison, leaning forward with similar expressions of disbelief.

“She wants to see other people,” Adrien rolled his eyes and glared at the pillow in his lap.

“Um, okay, back up,” Nino shook his head. “What?”

Adrien shifted slightly and shrugged. “I-It’s complicated, but-”

“What the hell is so complicated for you two?” Alya growled. “You’re in love, what other grounds do you need to be in a relationship?”

“I dunno, why don’t you ask her?” He grunted sourly. “Something about me being the first person she ever truly loved and wanting to see what else is out there. Other fish in the ocean or something like that.”

“Ugh, I love her so much, but she’s so infuriating!” Alya roared, slamming her fist on the arm of the couch.

“Same,” Adrien sighed, leaning his head back.

“Okay, we need a new plan,” Alya pinched the bridge of her nose. “We’ll call it ‘Operation Stop Marinette From Making a Huge Mistake.’”

“Why don’t we just call it Operation Fix It, for short,” Nino gave her a look.

“Fine, but I like mine better,” Alya grumbled.

“Marinette will already have married someone else by the time you get done saying it,” Nino teased, and Alya stuck her tongue out.

“So what’s the plan?” Adrien cocked a brow.

“Step one, you need to go on a couple dates,” Alya tapped her chin, holding up a finger when Adrien opened his mouth in protest. “She wants to look around the market, and you need to show her that you’re willing to do the same.”

“But I’m not willing,” Adrien interjected.

“Irrelevant. Your willingness isn’t the point. The point is to make it seem like you tried. After that you gotta come back slow. Tell her no one else compares to her, lay the charm on thick. I’ve got plenty of people that can give her friendly nudges in your favor, and boom, she’ll realize the error of her ways,” Alya nodded proudly.

“Okay, but you’re forgetting the part where I have to suffer through dates with other people, and the potential that Marinette might find someone else while I do so,” Adrien groaned.

“She’s not gonna find anyone else,” Nino rolled his eyes. “You’re one of Paris’s most eligible teen bachelors, remember?”

“And look how far _that_ got me,” He grunted, glaring at the muted TV.

“We’ll iron out the details later. Wait a couple weeks then go out on a date. At the very least, it has the potential to make her jealous which might snap her out of whatever she’s convinced herself she wants,” Alya offered, giving his shoulder a firm squeeze. “We’ve got your back on this, all the way. Nino and I really want another couple to double date with, and you two are at the top of our list. Plus, I put up with entirely too much of that girl’s swooning for you two not to end up together.’”

“Thanks, guys,” Adrien smiled slightly, wrapping an arm around Alya’s shoulders for a small side hug.

“No problem, bro. We got your back,” Nino patted his shoulder, offering up an encouraging smile.

As much as he understood Marinette from their recent memory sharing, he still knew she was making a mistake, or maybe he just wanted to be with her. He wasn’t quite sure which was true, but he was willing to fight for her, no matter how long it took. A girl like her wasn’t going to just fall into his life again, and he loved her far too much to give up just like that. He only hoped that she’d come to her senses soon.

Marinette

“Mari-chéri, I brought coffee,” Lila sang as she peaked up through the trap door with a cheery smile. Marinette was on her hands and knees, busily sketching a large roll of white paper with laser focus. “Whatcha working on?”

“Oh,” She leaned back and sat on her heels, glancing up from her work with a smile. “This is the banner for Adrien’s birthday surprise I’m planning. It’s only a few days away, so I’ve been trying to finish it.”

“Ick, still hung up on him?” Lila grunted, passing Marinette a cup and taking residence on one of her pink rolling chairs.

“Well, sort of, I guess. We’re not together or anything,” She shrank a little and traced the plastic rim of the lid on her up with one finger.

“No?” Lila cocked a brow. “That seems like a pretty big poster for a friend.”

“Well, he’s still my best friend, and I do love him, just…we’re kind of taking a break, I guess? Not that we were together before or anything, but I-I just think, for now, that we should see other people,” She felt her cheeks darken and offered up a shrug.

“Good. You can do way better than him,” Lila winked, moving down onto the floor next to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“You say that because you don’t like him,” Marinette giggled, taking a sip of her coffee to suppress her grin.

“True. I am biased,” She sighed dramatically. “But I think it’s good to get out there and see the world beyond tall, blond, and handsome. You’ll never know if you like something else unless you try it.”

“Yeah,” Mari nodded, pursing her lips.

It wasn’t that she _didn’t_ want to date Adrien, but considering their circumstances, she needed time and didn’t know any other way to convey that. Her decision to see other people was questionable, sure, but she wanted him to have the chance to find someone better than her. Someone who could actually make up their mind about what they wanted because he deserved that. He deserved better than she could give him in that moment, and in a way, she agreed with Lila that it would be good to try new things, but at the same time, she also still harbored feelings for him that she knew wouldn’t go away.  And she didn’t really want them to go away; she just wanted to understand them. Her own heart had become such a mysterious place as of late, and she wasn’t quite sure when she’d figure out how to decode it.

It was a bit maddening, feeling so sure and so uncertain at the same time. A constant war raging inside of her because she knew how she _should_ feel after seeing him for everything that he is, but something inside of her still hesitated at the thought, still made her skin crawl to imagine. It was completely irrational, and she knew that, but such was her struggle. A struggle that Adrien didn’t deserve, and one she wanted desperately to keep away from him. She knew it would have been easy to be with him, and Adrien would have accepted her with open arms. But a small part of her still feared the darkness that came out last time they were together, and the last thing she wanted was anyone getting hurt. But despite keeping her romantic feelings for him at a distance until she figured out her own heart, she still wanted Adrien to know that she still cared about him, even if they weren’t together.

Lila seemed to sense her unease, so she took Marinette’s hands in her own and smiled.

“Hey, I think it’s good. Sometimes we get distracted by other things and fail to see what’s right in front of us,” She soothed sweetly, and Marinette offered up a weak smile.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” She let out a breath.

“Of course I’m right,” She laughed, jabbing Mari’s side playfully. “Get out there, and stop trailing after some stupid boy just because he’s pretty.”

“You are literally my only source of support on this, and it means a lot. Alya isn’t happy with me, and she’s trying not to show it, but I know it’s frustrating everyone right now,” Marinette hugged her knees to her chest.

“Well, I am Miss Unpopular Opinion over here, so you can always count on me,” She winked.

“I know. You’re the best,” Mari pulled her into a crushing hug and finally relaxed a little.

“You know I love you, right Mari?” Lila asked pulling back slightly and looking Marinette in the eye.

“I love you too, Lila,” Marinette smiled as Chloe announced her presence coming up the stairs.

“Marinette, I got the paint you asked me to pick up,” She called, holding up a small plastic bag from the crafts store.

“Awesome!” She turned sideways and accepted it giddily as Lila folded her arms over her chest.

“Anyway, I just wanted to stop by and see you. My family will be going back to Italy for the holidays as soon as school lets out,” She announced standing up.

“Oh that sounds super fun,” Marinette commented, setting each bottle of paint on the floor next to her poster.

“It’ll be good to be back home for a while, but I’ll definitely miss you,” She brushed Mari’s nose with her finger. “I’ll see you at school.”

“See you,” Marinette waved as she made her way back down the stairs.

“So, how’s the birthday surprise coming along?” Chloe asked as Marinette resumed sketching.

“Almost finished. Do you think he’ll like it?” Her eyebrows furrowed worriedly, and Chloe suppressed an eye roll.

“You could give Adrien a toilet paper roll covered in beads and stickers, and he’d love it, Marinette. He’s going to love anything that comes from you,” Chloe said pointedly.

“I know, I’m just nervous because things have been a little weird for us since…you know,” She bit her lip and kept her eyes trained on the ruler and pencil in her hands.

“Well, can you blame him for being a little uncertain of how to act? He only spent every waking hour flirting with you only to run into a brick wall once you realized it. He’s more than a little hurt right now,” She folded her arms over her chest.

“Yeah, you played that boy for a fool, honey,” Chloe’s less than tender kwami chimed in.

“I didn’t meant to,” Marinette’s head lowered sadly, a single tear sliding down her face. “I-I just don’t know what to do.”

After a moment of hesitation, Chloe reached out and patted Marinette’s shoulder gently.

“Look, ignore Hunni,” She rolled her eyes. “I know you two have a complicated past, and you’re still trying to come to terms with it. Adrien kind of told me what happened, but I wanna hear Marinette’s side of what happened.”

“You do?” She glanced up, and Chloe’s nose wrinkled in disgust.

“Yeah, I’m trying a new unbiased thing, just don’t get your snot all over me,” She passed her a tissue, holding it out only with the tip of her thumb and index finger. She shied away a little as Marinette blew her nose less than gracefully, but listened intently as Marinette recounted the events with Adrien over the summer.

“I was so selfish and stupid, and now I can’t even tell him definitively how I feel,” She sniffled, picking at the eraser on her pencil.

“Adrien has that effect on people, darling. You saw how crazy I got over him all the time,” She smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Look, I get wanting to be sure of your feelings before you start something serious, but don’t push him away too much, okay? It’s obvious you really care about him, and trust me, he’s always overflowing about you. Take the time you need to come to whatever conclusion you’re going to and then tell him.”

“Thanks, Chloe,” Marinette smiled, extending her arms out toward her.

“No, I don’t want to- okay,” She groaned as Marinette pulled her into a tight hug.

“I like the new Chloe,” She murmured, pulling back with a cheery grin, and Chloe turned away, cheeks flushed pink.

“Don’t get used to anything. I’m trying new things, it doesn’t mean I’ll actually like them,” She cleared her throat and nodded at the poster. “You should really get to work on that.”

“I want everything to be perfect for this party as kind of an apology, I guess,” She glanced down at it and pursed her lips. “I want him to know I’m still here for him, even though we aren’t together right now.”

“Yeah, I think he needs that,” Chloe nodded. “Do you want some help?”

“Yes, please!” Marinette let out a relieved sigh as Chloe moved down to the floor. “I really like your hair, by the way. I think it suits you.”

“I would have cut it shorter, but _someone_ refuses to change her Miraculous to something other than a comb,” Chloe cast a glare at Hunni who was sitting beside Tikki on Marinette’s desk.

“Would if I could,” Hunni shrugged. “So sorry my powers aren’t convenient for your existential crisis.”

“It grows back when you transform, though,” Marinette pointed out grabbing a paint dish from one of her drawers.

“Well, that’s a good thing. Queen Bee looks better with long hair, but I have to say, I’m loving how much lighter my neck feels now,” She rubbed the back of her neck with a sigh and accepted a paint brush from Marinette.

“I’m glad you’re finally happy, Chloe. I know things have been pretty rough for you,” Marinette went back to work sketching out the last few letters on the poster.

“Well, you have to undergo a lot of pressure before you become a diamond, and I’m going to be so radiant when I’m finished,” She flipped her hair over her shoulder with one hand, and Marinette giggled softly.

“You bet! Now start filling in these lines.”

Marinette was hoping that after Adrien’s birthday and all of the work she put into his Christmas surprise that she’d be closer to figuring out how she felt about him, but when January rolled around, she was still just as uncertain. Adrien had gone out of town right after Christmas to do a few shoots with his father, and Marinette took that opportunity to go out on a couple of dates, though neither of them really impressed her. There was nothing inherently wrong with either of them, but she wasn’t feeling any sparks. Not like she felt with Adrien. Thinking of him made her feel guilty, even more so when she considered that she’d waited until he was away to actually go out with anyone for fear of hurting his feelings any more. They were certainly on better terms after the holidays, and Marinette didn’t want to ruin that, but she felt like she was finally ready to get out there and try. She just felt nervous about Adrien finding out. Speaking of Adrien…

She stopped short on her walk home from the craft store as a certain blond-haired boy caught her attention on the cover of a magazine. Of course swimsuit shoots were always done in winter, but seeing him shirtless on the cover of a magazine in Gabriel Agreste branded swim trunks still caught her a little off-guard, and she felt her cheeks turn bright red.

“Isn’t it a little early for swimsuits?” Tikki peaked up from Marinette’s scarf as she picked up a copy from a rack.

“Gabriel mentioned something at our last lunch that he wanted to get a head start this year and take the market before anyone else,” Marinette gawked as she flipped through a few pages.

“Oi, you wanna look, you gotta buy,” The store clerk scolded, folding his arms over his chest.

“S-Sorry, of course!” She jumped, fishing for cash in her purse, stopping short after a moment. Was she really going to buy a magazine with her hot, shirtless best friend on the cover? Had she really reverted back to _those_ days? What if he found out? She’d never hear the end of it. “Um, I-I don’t have enough, sorry!”

The clerk grunted as she put it back and scurried off up the street, taking large strides to put as much distance between them as possible. What was she thinking? She was _so_ past buying magazines with his face on them and gawking like a fan girl. No. No way was she buying one. Then again…Adrien _was_ her best friend, and she did support him and his father’s trade.

“I can’t believe you let me buy this,” She grumbled, flipping through Adrien’s spread as she made her way down the subway steps.

“You did that all on your own, Marinette,” Tikki giggled, guiltily indulging in Adrien’s toned body along with her master.

“He never finds out about this, got it?” She hissed under her breath, biting her lip at one picture in particular. Damn, he was pretty.

“Whatcha got there?” A playful lilt she knew all too well nearly scared her out of her skin, and she tossed the magazine onto the floor of the train. She turned to face him with a scowl, meeting those taunting green eyes as she clutched her chest.

“You’re back in town?” She gasped, nervously glancing at her discarded magazine. “You didn’t tell me.”

“I just got in last night. I was actually on my way to see you,” He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. That’s when she noticed something very different about him, and she cupped a hand over her mouth.

“You monster,” She reached up to touch his shortened gold hair, noticing that she had to stretch a bit farther than usual. Somehow his cheeks seemed more pronounced than she remembered, and for a moment, she lost herself brushing her fingers along them. “It’s only been a week, but you look so different.”

“I’m not a kid anymore,” He winked, lips turning up to one side.

“Wow, a whopping 15 years old, and now he thinks he’s a man,” She scoffed, turning away from him with a sly smirk, glancing down at the magazine and worriedly chewing her lip.

“You’ll understand what it’s like to be grown up someday, shorty,” He grunted, ruffling her hair. “But in the meantime, what was that interesting piece of literature you were reading?”

She let a deep breath out through her nose, attempting to slam her foot down on it as he stooped to pick it up, but he was quicker and snatched it up with a wide grin.

“Give it back,” She demanded as he bit back a smirk.

“Oh, this?” He cocked a brow, flipping to the first page. She reached for it, but he turned away from her.

“Adrien-”

“Who’s this guy?” He turned it back around, and Marinette pinched the bridge of her nose.

“I dunno, some asshole with an inflated ego,” She tried to snatch it once more, but he held it above her head.

“You were studying him pretty hard. Is he hot or something?” Each time she reached for it, he lifted it just above her reach. “Wow, you bought the deluxe edition with ten extra photos, you must really like this guy.”

“Not as much as he thinks,” She growled. “Adrien, give it back!”

“Oh, you want to admire him some more? Why didn’t you just say so?” He chuckled, dangling it in front of her, lifting it back up when she reached for it.

“I paid for it, give it back,” She punched his gut, but he barely flinched. Stupid solid abs.

“Only if you admit how handsome and smart and totally kissab- Ow!” Turns out his feet weren’t as sturdy as his abdomen, and she snatched the magazine away from him with a triumphant beam.

“I didn’t miss you,” She stuck her tongue out as they arrived at her stop.

“You know you did,” He nuzzled up to her, but she kept walking.

“I’m not talking to you. You shaved your head,” She stuck her nose up.

“I didn’t shave it,” He huffed, easily keeping up with her. “I just cut it, okay? I’m growing, and my dad thought it’d look better short.”

“I can’t play with it anymore,” She pouted as he fell into place beside her.

“I know, it’s a tragedy. I missed your scalp massages,” He sighed. “And your dad’s croissants.”

“Well, I can take care of both of those easily,” She offered, and he perked up. Silence fell between them for a while, and Marinette took a deep breath. “Can I tell you something?”

“What’s up?” He shoved his hands in his pockets, and she hugged the magazine to her chest.

“I kind of went out on a couple dates while you were away,” She admitted quietly. “I-I felt a little weird about it while you were here because I know you’re not super happy about it-”

“It’s fine, Mari,” He shook his head. “Actually, I went out on a date myself while I was away.”

“Oh,” Her eyebrows raised in surprise. “Awesome! Who with?”

“Just some model I was working with. We went out to dinner,” He shrugged.

“How was it?” She cocked a brow, and he pursed his lips.

“Honestly?” He winced. “Horrible.”

“Total snob?”

“Ugh, the worst. We went to a restaurant, and she got this expensive wine. And that was it. Then I swear she was judging me the whole time I ate my steak,” He groaned, throwing his head back. “All she wanted to talk about was how she wanted to lose five kilos before her next shoot. Meanwhile I’m stuffing my face feeling like an ass, so needless to say, I was really glad when it was over.”

“That sounds miserable,” Mari winced sympathetically.

“Yeah,” He sighed. “So, how were your dates?”

“Uh, they were fine,” She tucked a loose strand of hair back behind her ear, and he gave her a knowing smirk.

“That bad, huh?” He chuckled.

“No! They weren’t _bad_. They also weren’t very _good_ , but they were fun. I just…didn’t really have chemistry with them,” She said defensively.

“You have chemistry with me,” He winked. “Literally. I sit right next to you.”

“You’re such a dork,” She sighed, shaking her head. “Why did I buy your stupid magazine?”

“Because you love me,” He smarmed, nudging her with his elbow. “Admit it.”

“Hey, did you hear the news? Ladybug is robbing a bank-” A passerby was asking her friend, immediately bending the two hero’s ears.

“She’s doing _what_?” Marinette gasped, taking off up the street for the nearest deserted alley, Adrien at her heels.

“Transform me!”

“You’ve been a naughty girl while I was away,” He tsked as they hit the roofs of Paris running.

“Not me, you dumbo. Obviously,” She rolled her eyes as they spotted several police helicopters chasing a red-clad felon. “It’s obviously an akuma impersonating me just like Copycat. Let’s try and head her off this way.”

“Following your lead, m’lady,” He called as she shot off across town, racing ahead of her imposter in an attempt to cut her off.

Flipping over a roof, they landed in the prime position, and Ladybug nodded for Chat to take the back. She readied her yoyo, swinging it at her side as they waited for the imposter in question to make an appearance, and sure enough, after a few moments she sprang up from the roof below, skidding to a stop the moment she noticed the genuine article.

“Your little joy ride ends here. You’ve got nowhere to run,” She paced forward as the fake turned, only to find Chat Noir waiting behind her.

There were many things that Ladybug thought she understood about fighting akumas, a typical pattern of behavior of sorts. Many fight relentlessly with everything that they have. They’re blinded by rage and Hawkmoth’s mind control, so why wouldn’t they? She expected a fight, so when the imposter shrugged and tossed her the sac of cash slung over her shoulder, Ladybug was immensely surprised. As the police sirens grew closer, the fake glanced up with a crooked smile, and waved sweetly before disappearing in a puff of smoke just as the police helicopters came into view.

“What?” The two heroes gasped in unison.

“We’ve got you surrounded, Ladybug! Hand over the money, and turn yourself in,” The officer ordered over the megaphone.

“What just happened?” Chat asked with wide eyes.

“I think we just got played,” She sighed, dropping the sac and putting her hands up as officers slid down ropes onto the roof. “You’re making a mistake. This is obviously an akuma’s doing.”

“Right, and where is this akuma, exactly?” The officer grunted, pulling her arm down behind her back, and Ladybug pursed her lips and sighed.

“It got away,” She admitted sourly, glaring in the opposite direction.

“Of course it did,” He rolled his eyes as they ushered them into a helicopter and flew them to the station.

“So, what’s the plan?” Chat asked from where he was reclining on the small bed in their cell as Ladybug paced back and forth across the small strip of floor.

“I’m working on it,” She grumbled, cupping her chin in thought.

“You’re a bad, bad bug, m’lady. I leave for one week, and you’ve resorted to robbing banks,” He tsked, shaking his head.

“I will skin you,” She paused in her pacing for a moment to glare at him.

“Prison’s hardened you,” He placed an offended hand on his chest.

“Chat, this isn’t a time for jokes!” She groaned, resuming her march around the room.

“I think our history has proven that it’s always a time for jokes with me,” He said pointedly, examining his claws, and she let out another frustrated growl. “Look, one word and I can get rid of that door then we’ll be on our merry way with whatever plan you cook up; we’ll capture the akuma, prove to everyone that they’re a fake, and set everything right. Just like always.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” She sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed with a sigh. “I’m just irritated that someone picked me to impersonate this time.”

“Well, who’d you piss off?” He cocked a brow.

“No one!” She hissed defensively, and Chat gave her a look. “I’m serious! I haven’t done anything as Ladybug lately.”

“Okay, so maybe unrelated to anything you’ve personally done, but maybe someone got jealous for another reason and decided to impersonate you. Maybe someone’s crush really admires you, and they’re just trying to make you look bad so they can have the person for themselves,” He rationalized, tapping his chin.

“Plausible,” She conceded, running her fingers through his hair, grateful that his golden locks were still long and ruffled when he transformed.

“I missed this,” He sighed contentedly as she trailed her fingers along his scalp, and she let out a soft giggle.

“If you keep growing I won’t be able to reach your hair to play with it,” She teased, and he smiled warmly.

“So, what plans does the miraculous Ladybug have running through that beautiful mind of hers?” He asked, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

“I’m partially waiting to see if they make another appearance. If they’re out there causing trouble while we’re stuck in here, it’ll be obvious that the wrongdoer is a fake,” She folded her arms over her chest. “However, there is the possibility that the akuma knows we’re locked up in here and is just waiting for us to break out before they make their next move, so if that’s the case we’ll break out of here in about twenty more minutes and do business as usual.”

“Mmm, ya know, twenty minutes is a long time for us to be locked in here together…alone,” He scooted closer to her, but she rolled her eyes and stood up.

“Don’t make me hog tie you,” She leaned against the wall with an unamused frown.

“Oh lá lá, I didn’t know you were into that kind of stuff, m’lady,” He waggled his eyebrows, and she slapped her palm to her forehead with a groan.

“That’s it, I’m breaking it down now,” She turned and paced toward the door, but to her surprise it opened.

“Come with me, you two,” The guard ordered, gesturing with his thumb for them to follow. Another guard tailed them as they were led to the chief’s office where a familiar face reclined in the chair sipping a steaming cup of coffee as another officer fanned her lightly with a file folder.

“And just what sort of trouble have you two gotten into today,” She cocked a brow with a stern edge in her voice as if she were a mother scolding her two rambunctious children.

“Apparently I robbed a bank,” Ladybug grumbled, casting a glare at the guards.

“I always knew you had a little badness in you,” Queen Bee sighed, swirling the coffee in her cup a little.

“Okay, seriously, this is a waste of time-”

“Ah, ah,” She held up a hand to silence her before turning to the chief. “If you’d like _my_ opinion, I’d say the thief is an akumatized imposter.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying the whole time-”

“Are you certain, Queen Bee?” He cocked a brow as she stood up.

“I know an akuma when I see one, and I also happen to work very closely with the _real_ Ladybug,” She clasped her hands behind her back.

“Literally standing right here,” Ladybug waved a hand, but no one paid her any mind.

“This type of behavior is highly unlike her, and I can assure you that I’d personally never allow it,” She continued with a serious tone. The chief eyed her for a long moment and nodded.

“Very well,” He cast a glare back at Ladybug and Chat Noir then shifted his gaze back to Queen Bee. “Keep an eye on them for me.”

“Absolutely, and I can assure you that any shenanigans from hence forth will be strongly punished,” She promised, and the chief patted her shoulder appreciatively.

“Then I leave them in your capable hands,” He motioned for the guards to escort them out. Once safely outside the walls of the station, Chat Noir turned to Queen Bee with a wide grin.

“That was incredible! You had them eating out of the palm of your hand,” He gaped, sounding far too impressed.

“I know; I’m amazing,” She flipped her hair with a proud beam. “And you guys all dragged me for being so manipulative and controlling. Looks like having a crooked mayor for a dad pays off sometimes. I think you two owe me an apology as well as a hearty amount of gratitude for saving your skins.”

“Thanks, Bee,” Ladybug rolled her eyes. “Now, we need to find that imposter and capture her akuma before she can do anymore damage to my name. Chat Noir, you take the west side of town, I’ll take the north, and Bee, you go east. Let’s meet back in the south in an hour if we don’t find her.”

“Got it,” Chat nodded, grabbing the staff and racing off, but Queen Bee stayed rooted in place, cocking a hip to the side and folding her arms over her chest.

“Have you told him about your dates?” She asked, cocking a brow.

“Is now really the time to talk about that?” Ladybug pinched the bridge of her nose. “Yes, we’ve talked about it, and we’re both fine.”

“Are you?” Bee gave her a look.

“We don’t have time for this,” She sighed, grabbing her yoyo off her hip and tossing it across town. “We can talk about it later. Right now, we have a job to do.”

Everyone was giving her so much grief over her decisions lately, and frankly, she was a little tired of it. She knew Alya and Nino were plotting something, and Chloe just liked to tease her; the only supportive person was Lila, but she hated Adrien so she supposed that didn’t count.

Her feelings for Adrien were complicated, and she didn’t really know how else to approach the situation. Of course she cared about him, her actions over the holidays were proof enough of that, and Adrien was the one person who knew her backwards and forwards and who she knew through and through. But something inside of her was just a little afraid to take that step again, something just wanted to keep running for a little while longer. Maybe it was her actions in the past or maybe a fear of herself. She’d seen on more than one occasion that she was capable of being cruel with both Chloe and Lila and maybe even now with Adrien. She liked to think she was giving him his best chance, and maybe she was, maybe she wasn’t. All she knew was that she needed time to sort her head out, and right now, she had a job to do.

“Anything?” She asked when they regrouped an hour later.

“I helped someone change a tire, but no sign of the imposter anywhere,” Chat shrugged with an apologetic wince.

“That’s so strange,” Ladybug cupped her chin. “Usually akumas are always trying to be seen.”

“What if it’s not an akuma?” Queen Bee offered. “What if it’s something else?”

“You think it could be the fox?” Chat’s eyebrows raised.

“It’s possible because Ladybug is right. If it were an akuma, they wouldn’t be hiding like this,” She rationalized.

“Let’s hope it isn’t. That means they’re either on Hawkmoth’s side or working alone, but either way they’re against us,” Ladybug frowned, drumming her fingers on her arm. “Keep an eye out. Report any suspicious activity immediately.”

“Naturally,” Chat nodded, and Queen Bee mumbled some sort of agreeance as well.

“Let’s have a meeting tomorrow to discuss further recourse if this is the fox. I have a feeling that if they’re our enemy, things are going to be a lot more difficult than just fighting akumas,” She ordered solemnly.

“Right, well, this has been fun, but now I have to go. Lila’s helping me with our literature summary. I’ll let both of you know if I see anything,” Bee skipped over to the edge of the roof, grabbing a trompo from her waist.

“Thanks again for your help, Bee,” Ladybug waved as she shot off, and she felt her spine stiffen a little when Chat cleared his throat.

“I don’t know about you, but I could go for some coffee,” He offered, clasping his hands behind his back with one of his patient smiles, and she relaxed a little.

“Coffee sounds…great right now,” She sighed, rubbing her eyelids with her thumb and index finger.

Chat offered a hand that she took willingly, and the two hopped back down to the streets below, releasing their transformations before joining the remaining crowds on the street. Freed from the magic of their suits, they huddled closer together when a cold breeze blew by, and Marinette felt her cheeks warm a little. It was cold, that’s all. She and Alya used to huddle together when it was cold out and go out for coffee all the time. Just because she and Adrien were sort of romantically interested in each other didn’t make their current situation mean anything more.

“So, how was LA?” She started after they got their drinks when the silence stretched on for too long.

“Much warmer than Paris,” He grunted, rubbing his arm with his free hand. “It was alright. They have some gorgeous beaches there that I spent a lot of time on shooting my dad’s entire summer line. Don’t let my smile in any of the photos fool you; the air might have been warm, but that water was cold. Fun fact: it’s actually really hard to focus on being a hot teen model having fun when you’re freezing your ass off.”

“The hard-knock life of being a supermodel,” She giggled, and he rolled his eyes.

“I missed you terribly and Nino and your dad’s croissants,” He cast her a playful smirk.

“The perks of being best friends with the baker’s daughter is you get to eat as many as you want,” She hummed, and he let out a laugh and linked his arm through hers.

“I knew there was a reason I kept you around,” He chuckled as they took a spot on a bench in the park and snuggled close together.

“Oh, is that why?” She cocked a brow and took a sip of her coffee.

“Among other reasons,” He shrugged. “Your kind heart and amazing personality may also have something to do with it.”

“I think I believe the croissant story more,” She bit her lip and traced the rim of her lid with her finger.

“Why? You are amazing, Mari,” He pressed his nose to her cheek, eyes trained on hers.

“I just try and do the right thing. I’m decent at best,” She mumbled with a shrug.

“Not everyone can claim that,” He said pointedly. “Just like not everyone can claim to have designed a hat that Gabriel Agreste approves of or an album cover for Jagged Stone. Not everyone can claim to be the miraculous Ladybug. Actually, I only know of one person who can claim that right now.” His breath was warm on her cheeks as he leaned his forehead against hers. “You’re the most incredible girl I know, Mari.”

“If I’m so incredible, why can’t I figure my own heart out?” She frowned, eyes dropping back to her lap. “I think you deserve someone who can at least do that.”

Adrien sat back and pursed his lips, surveying her for a moment before speaking, “You and I have a complicated past. I get that, and I’m not pressuring you to decide right away, okay? Take as much time as you need to figure things out; I’ll be right here for you the whole time, and whether you decide you want me or not, well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”

She glanced up into his earnest eyes that made her heart jump up to her throat, and he offered a small shrug. Biting her lip, she pulled him into a tight hug, hooking her chin over his shoulder and grabbing fistfuls of his coat.

“I want to be honest with you because you know everything about me, and I want you to understand my thoughts, though, I don’t always understand them myself,” She murmured, pulling back slightly to look him in the eye. “I feel really lost right now, like, I don’t know who I am or what I want. I-I just, sometimes when I look at you I know that it’s where I want to be, but other times I feel so afraid. Because Chloe was right, there is darkness inside of me. Whenever I thought you were hurt there was so much rage and hatred, and I’m afraid to feel that way again. People have been akumatized because of my actions in regards to you. People who wouldn’t have been otherwise.”

“Mari, I thought you forgave yourself for all that,” He cupped her face in his hands. “Look, everyone has good and bad sides. It’s what makes us human. I’m not condoning your actions in the past, but I don’t think you should let them haunt you forever.”

“I know they shouldn’t,” She sighed. “I just don’t really know what to do right now, and I don’t want to commit to you when I’m so unsure. Because what if I change my mind in a few months? I don’t think I could bear to hurt you again, so I wanted to give you the opportunity to find someone who knows what they want. Someone who could make you happy.”

“ _You_ make me happy, Marinette, and I’m willing to help you through the craziness. You don’t have to do it alone anymore because now you have me,” He pressed her hand over his heart with a patient smile, and she felt her eyes watering.

“I’m sorry,” She shook her head. “I just need time.”

“Have as much of it as you need. Do whatever you have to do to figure it all out. Go on unsatisfying dates, cry, scream, I dunno, eat lots of meringues, whatever,” She giggled slightly, and he lifted her chin. “I’ve made up my mind, Marinette, and I will wait forever if I have to for you to make up yours.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” She grimaced, but he shook his head.

“Don’t beat yourself up over it, okay? Just focus on you and what you want,” He brushed away a tear with his thumb.

“I really don’t deserve you,” She chuckled, shaking her head and batting away another tear.

“You’re allowed to be confused, and you’re allowed to take time to sort through that confusion. It doesn’t make you any less deserving because I’m not that great of a catch either,” He shrugged. “Not as much as everyone thinks.”

“No, you’re a huge dork,” She conceded, biting back a smile.

“See?”

“Okay, so maybe I do deserve you, but I don’t deserve so much kindness after I keep hurting you,” She lowered her gaze to her hands on his chest.

“Well, I love you, Mari, and I’m patient. I know how that brain of yours works, sort of, and it’s a frustrating mess sometimes. I assume now is no exception, so I know you think you want me to find happiness because you’re uncertain, but _I_ know when I’ve found the best,” He leaned his forehead against hers once more and smiled. “Don’t worry about Adrien, okay? He’s gonna be here no matter what. Worry about Marinette. Find her, and I’ll help you as much as you’ll let me.”

“Thank you,” She kissed his nose softly. “It means a lot to hear you say that and to have you understand. I was afraid you’d be upset.”

“I’m not going to lie to you. It hurts, but I believe you’re worth it,” He gave her hand a small squeeze.

“I hope so,” She let out a breathy laugh. “I’ll try not to hurt you for too long.”

“It’s okay. I’m used to it,” He shrugged then immediately backpedaled. “N-Not just from you. I mean, well, you know.”

“I know what you mean,” She waved it away. “You’re so selfless. If anyone deserves happiness, it’s you.”

“That’s the lot fate gave me. I’m unlucky, and I’ve made my peace with that,” He smiled. “Come on, Bug. Let’s go get something sweet to cheer us both up. Take our minds off of things for a while.”

“Kay,” She nodded, standing up as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led the way to the bakery.

Of all the uncertainty she was faced with, she was glad that Adrien didn’t resent her for any of it. Maybe her feelings would become clear soon, though with the added stress of whoever her imposter was, she had her doubts. But perhaps it was time she took lessons from Chloe and went out to understand herself so that when the time came, she could make him happy properly.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I’m not entirely happy with this chapter as a whole. It has its moments, but it’s not my favorite, so if you hate it, well, so do I. In some ways I feel it doesn’t make sense, but all we can do is move forward.
> 
> If you’re confused about what Marinette did for Adrien over the holidays, you missed my Christmas drabble that I wrote that’s in the Lady du Coeur Bonus Stories fic. Click on my username and look at my other works and you should find it.
> 
> I want to capture the awkward years of self-discovery that most of us go through at their age where you want to discover who you are and whatnot, also Adrien hitting hard puberty is going to be a thing. We’re gonna see our babes grow.
> 
> I’ve done a lot of reconstructing ideas since last chapter, not that it makes a difference to you guys cause you didn’t know the original plans, but I think the revamp makes certain things work a little better.
> 
> I’m really enjoying developing Chloe actually. I don’t know why, but I really like writing snobby characters. It’s fun.
> 
> I posed this in my latest chapter of the other fic I’ve been working on Colors of the Soul, because I’ll be finishing that one up probably this week. So, I’m debating what to start next. I’ve already got a Chlonette fic planned and in the works, and these are some other ideas I’ve been sitting on for a while that I’m contemplating writing once I finish CS, so let me know which one you want to see:
> 
> -Fake dating AU (Adrinette), pretty self-explanatory. Basically Alya and Nino cook up a scheme to get their friends together. Adrien wants Chloe off of his back, so they set him up to “fake date” Marinette, but he totally catches feelings along the way. Rating: Probably G/K+  
> -(Adrinette) In my “Drabble Ideas” document I have one called “Senpai AU” that was based off a post I read forever ago where Adrien actually really admires Marinette (hence why he always tells her she’s talented and amazing and gets nervous around her, etc) and kind of looks up to her, so he asks her on a date (after promptings from Nino), but an akuma attacks right before they’re supposed to meet. Long story short they end up both missing the date and fear that the other thinks they stood them up. Rating: G/K+  
> -College AU (Adrinette) Pretty straight forward. Non-superhero universe. Marinette and Alya went to school together and are roommates sharing a small apartment while in college. Alya reconnects with Nino, an old friend of hers, who is good friends with Adrien, who is the son of Marinette’s favorite fashion designer, model, etc, but they have no prior history. Adrien’s personality in this one would be a mix of his normal polite, gentlemanly demeanor, and Chat Noir’s flirtatious swagger, so they would have a similar teasing LadyNoir type relationship where he flirts with her, but she doesn’t quite know what to think of him. (Includes a scene where he models nude for her art class, and she’s like 1000% done with him) Rating: M  
> -Zombie Apocalypse AU Thought of this one after I had a weird dream when my roommates were binge watching The Walking Dead. Basically a zombie akuma starts the apocalypse, and they have to figure out how to fix it. Rating: M  
> -Some sort of continuation of my Chlolya fic (No One’s Sidekick) or maybe a revamp of it. I have a few ideas for a Chlolya/RoyalFox fic that’s an alternate love square between Chloe and Alya. Rating: Probably T  
> -Something else entirely! Please specify what.
> 
> As always, hope you enjoyed this even though I’m meh about it still! Let me know what you thought about it, hopefully you don’t hate me too much. You’ll hate me a lot more later, but then you’ll love me, so it’ll be fine. If you get tired of waiting for me to update this one, feel free to look up any of my other works. I’ll be finishing up Colors of the Soul this week, so check that one out if you haven’t already.
> 
> Follow me on tumblr (MightyMunchlax), though I’m debating starting a Miraculous sideblog to post all my fic stuff on, but I haven’t decided yet.
> 
> I’ll see you guys soon with the next chapter, and be on the lookout for whatever I decide to start after I finish CS!  
> Also I updated the tags in case you didn't notice...K bye.


	16. Volpina's Return

Volpina’s Return

“Ugh!” A frustrated growl sounded behind Adrien, and he heard the familiar zip of Ladybug’s yoyo followed by the tap of her feet hitting the floor.

“I take it your reconnaissance mission went well,” He called with a smirk, spinning around in his chair as she detransformed.

“Don’t test me, I’m pissed off enough to actually hit you,” She snarled through clenched teeth. “I just spent the last hour talking to the police about this stupid imposter situation.”

“Yeah, she’s really been after your image lately. Crashing birthday parties, helping thieves escape, graffiti on national monuments…You’re on someone’s hit list.” Adrien tapped his chin.

“I swear when I find out who’s behind this I’m going to feed them their own ass-”

“Whoa there, Yeager. Let’s dial back the bloodthirst for the titans and think about this.” He held up defensive hands.

“Did you just reference anime at me?” Her eyes narrowed, and he rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. “I need to hit something.”

“I’ve got you covered,” He said, holding up a finger before taking her hand and leading her down to the gym where a punching bag hung from the ceiling. Adrien opened the closet and rolled out the dummy he practiced on during his karate lessons. “Go nuts.”

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, and as she reared back to strike, Adrien stepped forward with an apologetic wince. “What?” She huffed.

“No, nothing, just, tiny tip…thumb on the outside of your fist, or you will break it,” He advised, gently pulling her thumb out before stepping aside and letting her loose.

He watched in horror with Tikki as she punched and kicked the sac unceasingly while Plagg looked on with a wide grin. Slowly, he backed out of the room, careful not to disturb her, and returned a few minutes later with a thermos of water. She stayed at it for a while, pounding her fists into the material until sweat poured from her face and her shoulders shook with the exertion it took to breathe.

“You should drink,” He offered gently, extending her the thermos which she snatched immediately. Sweat dripped down her cheeks as she gulped down the ice cold water then sat back on the mat. Her breaths were still labored as she surveyed her bloody, shaking knuckles.

“I should have given you gloves,” He said, examining them. “I didn’t realize you were gonna go all out like that. I’ll go get something to wrap them with.”

“Thanks,” She panted, taking another swig of her drink. He returned a moment later from the closet with a first-aid kit and knelt beside her once more. She surrendered her hands, watching intently as he worked.

“Feeling any better?” Adrien asked, spraying an anti-septic on the wounds. Marinette winced and pulled back with a hiss, but quickly surrendered them once more. 

“No,” She grumbled, glaring in the other direction as he began to wrap a cloth bandage around her knuckles.

“Can’t say I blame you,” He remarked. “I’m even a little angry for you.”

“I just wish we could catch her,” She sighed, leaning back once he finished.

“I know. Me too.” He brushed a strand of her hair from her face, and she leaned into his touch.

“Will you do something for me to take my mind off of things?” She asked after a moment, and he felt his heart skip a whole beat.

“Uh, y-yeah! Anything!” He replied eagerly.

“Teach me how to fight,” She requested, and he breathed a silent sigh of relief.

“You know how to fight already,” He chuckled pointedly.

“I know how to fight as Ladybug, but Marinette could use some pointers.” She shrugged. “You do all kinds of stuff as Adrien, fencing, martial arts, sports…I can barely walk across flat surfaces without falling.”

“Alright, if that’s what you want…” He stood up and headed over to the closet again, sifting through some of his gi. “You could probably fit in one of my old ones.”

“Are you making fun of my height?” She folded her arms over her chest as he held up a top to compare size.

“I would never.” He shook his head, laying the shirt over her shoulder and riffling through the pants.

“You’re lucky I like you,” She said, glaring playfully as he sized up a pair of pants for her.

“It’s what I count on for survival every time I crack a joke.” He winked, stepping out and pulling the door shut while she changed.

“Adrien!” She called after a couple minutes, peaking out as he fastened his belt.

“What?” He cocked a brow.

“How do I tie the belt?” She stepped out with her robe undone, exposing her bare stomach and hot pink sports bra, and Adrien felt his face go three shades darker.

“You just, um,” He cleared his throat and adjusted the top to cover her properly before tying the belt securely around her waist.

“It’s still too big,” She whined, holding up the sleeves that extended well passed her hands. “Can I just take it off-”

“No!” He said quickly, and she gave him a look. “It’s disrespectful, Mari.”

“Okay…” She gave him an inquisitive look as she rolled her sleeves up to her elbows.

“So, what do you wanna learn?”

“Teach me how to kick butt!” She punched the air enthusiastically, and he suppressed an eye roll.

“Karate is only to be used for self-defense, ya know,” He lectured, but she was too busy throwing fake punches and kicks.

“I’ll be defending myself when I kick this fox’s butt,” She said determinedly.

“Okay.” He pinched the bridge of his nose briefly before deflecting her hands and pulling her into a headlock. She squealed in protest, but he kept his hold loose.

“The first rule of karate is to clear your mind. Relax and focus.”

“I am focused,” She grunted, attempting to break free, but he tightened his grip.

“Purge all selfish and evil thoughts,” He murmured soothingly as she continued to wiggle and kick against his shins.

“Okay, fine, teach me how to fight!” She ordered, but he held on, wrapping his free arm around her waist and lifting her up. “Adrien!”

“You must be calm and humble in order t- oof!” Mari kicked her legs up causing Adrien to rock forward to counter her weight which gave her footing enough to throw him over her shoulders. He landed square on his back with a gasp, and Mari sat on his stomach and pinned him to the mat.

“Can your clear mind do that?” She beamed, and Adrien took a deep breath.

“Fine,” He wheezed. “You wanna spar? Let’s spar.” He pulled the loose fabric from her gi over her head and rolled her to the side while she struggled, pining her arms down as soon as she broke free.

“That’s cheating!” She growled accusingly, blue eyes narrowing into a glare.

“You don’t wanna follow the rules, so neither will I.” He grinned tauntingly, and her lips pursed in thought.

“Well, if that’s how we’re gonna play…” She hiked up her knee, and in a split second, Adrien guessed her plan and dodged just in time to divert her knee to his inner thigh instead of the target she was aiming for.

“No!” He gasped, and Marinette shoved him over when he became off balanced. “That was dirty and low!”

“I thought that’s what we were playing.” She smirked, and his eyes narrowed.

“It’s on,” He declared, losing all of his confidence when she tore the gi from her torso and tossed it aside. His cheeks, as well as another region, burned, and he averted his gaze quickly. “What are you doing?”

“It’s hot in that thing, and it restricts my movement,” She said, fanning herself.

“I’m not going to fight you naked,” He scoffed, turning to the side.

“I’m not naked! I have a bra on, you wimp.”

“Put your gi back on!”

“No,” She grunted, pacing toward him. “Man up and fight me.”

“You’re being cruel.”

“How is this any different from the bikini models in your photoshoot? I’m more covered than they are!” She held out her arms in exasperation.

“That’s different,” He mumbled.

“How?”

“Because I don’t feel anything when I see them!” He shot back.

“Why do you have to bring your dick into this?” She slapped her palm to her forehead.

“I can’t help that I’m attracted to you!”

“Ugh!” She threw her head back with a groan. “You’re such a baby. What am I gonna do with you?”

“Don’t pretend like I didn’t catch you ogling over my swim shoot a couple weeks ago,” He said pointedly.

“I thought we agreed to never speak of it again.” Her eyes narrowed into slits.

“I made no such promise. You’re a pervert.” He smirked, but it was short-lived as she tackled him to the ground a second later.

“Don’t push me, Agreste,” She cooed in his ear when she pinned him face down on the mat.

“But it’s so fun to push you. It’s kind of what we do,” He mumbled, voice distorted from the force with which she had him pinned.

“Fine, but don’t blame me when you get hurt.”

Adrien managed to shake her off, but she retaliated quicker than he did, charging at him again the moment he got up. He caught her easily and lifted her feet from the ground. To counter, she wrapped her legs around his waist and flipped backwards, forcing him to roll over her.

They sparred like that for a while, wrestling each other to the ground, breaking free, rolling around as their grunts and yelps filled the room. It all came to an end when Adrien got Marinette in a tight headlock, and no matter how many times she kicked his shins, he wasn’t letting go.

“Give up yet?” He asked as she gasped for air.

“No!” She coughed.

“Tap out, and I’ll stop.”

“No!” Within a minute, he felt her body go limp, and he let go and held her up until she came to a moment later. She surged forward, clutching her gut and coughing raggedly.

“Seriously?” He panted. “Why didn’t you tap o-”

She flew at him once more, and he held up his hands to defend himself which proved to be a big mistake as he found himself clutching her left breast which he quickly released with an embarrassed squawk, making himself easy prey for her to roll over and pin securely face-down on the mat with a firm grip on his hair and left leg which she pulled toward her. His pained squeaks echoed through the room, and she smirked.

“Mari! My leg doesn’t bend that way!” He squealed.

“Tap out then,” She chuckled, and he slapped the ground twice without hesitation. He breathed a sigh of relief when she let go and rolled him over to sit on his stomach.

“I win.” She beamed.

“You’re insane,” He panted, leaning his head back and spreading his arms out. He could feel the sweat trickling down his back through his gi as he caught his breath.

“And you’re afraid of boobs,” She shot back playfully, wiping sweat from her lip.

“I’m not afraid of boobs!” He groaned.

“Just my boobs.”

“No!” He sighed. “Just…those feelings don’t really have a place between us right now.”

She sobered and let her gaze drop to his chest where she fiddled with his gi. It was an expression he’d learned to pick out on her quickly because it was the same face she wore every time it got brought up. Guilt. He patted her leg and offered up a smile.

“Don’t beat yourself up. I just don’t want to pressure you,” He said softly.

“Maybe if…” She started, biting her lip. “If things calm down. If we can catch the fox…then maybe we can try again.”

“Okay.” Adrien nodded, and she climbed off of him and pulled him up.

“Thanks for letting me beat you up,” She said, offering up a small smile.

“Any time, Bug.” He wrapped an arm around her waist as they walked. “Just don’t tell anyone you beat me because I panicked about grabbing your boob.”

“I make no promises.”

Chloe

Out of all the drama that she’d left behind when deciding to change herself for the better, there was one thing in particular that had never quite mended properly but instead remained a poorly stitched wound that occasionally flared up when things got heated. Of course, she should have expected as much as it was the person she’d been closest to, and therefore, the victim of a majority of Chloe’s less-than-polite mannerisms. But as Chloe sat at a small café, swirling her latte with a coffee stirrer awaiting her arrival, she couldn’t help but reflect on all the good times they shared and wondered if things could ever be that way again.

She was talking about Sabrina. Her ex-best friend who went to therapy to help cope with years of enduring Chloe’s crap. It was doing wonders for her. She was becoming less of a push-over, and even branching out and making friends of her own. Turns out people had more sympathy for the misguided best friend than they did for the terror reigning over her. In a way, Chloe was happy for her because Sabrina was one wrong she regretted most. And she missed her.

“Ahem.” At the sound of a throat clearing, Chloe turned to see the small ginger standing with her hands clasped in front of her, lips pursed in a hesitant pout. “Hello, Chloe.”

“Hey, Sabrina.” Chloe winced under her accusing glare. “Would you like to sit? I’ll buy you a coffee.”

“With what money?” Sabrina scoffed, but she sat down anyways. “What do you want?”

Chloe sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Of course she’d be skeptical as to why Chloe asked her to meet here. It’s not like they’d exactly talked much in the last 6 months, and when they had spoken it was always less than cordial. Sabrina still carried a grudge, and Chloe’s apology had been half-hearted at best when Marinette forced her to make her rounds. Maybe because Sabrina’s betrayal had angered her the most, and at the time, she wasn’t quite over it herself, not that she ever admitted it to anyone out loud. Things were different now. She was different.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing,” Chloe started calmly, taking a sip of her coffee to give her hands something to do.

“Better now that I’ve removed a toxic person from my life,” She countered with a haughty smirk. This was going about as well as Chloe expected.

“I’m happy to hear that,” She said with the politest smile she could muster. Holding her tongue was one thing she hated about being nice, but she’d already ripped into Sabrina enough over the years, so she supposed this was well-deserved. Sabrina pursed her lips and leaned forward with a critical glare.

“Why did you invite me here today, Chloe? Was there something you wanted?” She demanded, and Chloe let out a breath.

“Yeah, actually. I wanted to apologize. Again. But properly this time,” She admitted, rubbing the back of her neck, a nervous tick she’d picked up from Adrien it seemed. “You and I used to be so close, and I took you for granted. Something I didn’t realize until you left, and I was left to scrape up the pieces on my own. You really did a lot for me, and I just wanted to thank you for putting up with me for so long. I don’t blame you for leaving me.” She let out another breath and met Sabrina’s gaze head-on. “I’m really sorry for how I treated you, and I understand if you’re still angry. I just wanted you to know that I regret using you the way I did, and I’m trying to be better now. So…”

Sabrina eyed her a little dumbstruck, and Chloe drummed her fingers on the table and cleared her throat. She gulped down the last of her coffee and stood up awkwardly.

“So, that’s all I wanted to say. I guess I’ll see you around,” She said. Sabrina remained quiet, eyes trained on her hands laced together on the table, so Chloe slung her purse over one shoulder and moved to leave without another word.

“You weren’t bad all the time,” Sabrina spoke up after Chloe made it a few steps. “Sometimes things were kinda nice.”

She turned back to see a small smile on Sabrina’s lips, one that echoed on her own before Sabrina glanced back at her hands. Chloe took that as her cue to leave, and as she put more distance between her and the café, she felt more weight lifting from her shoulders. Another burden she could finally shake off and move past. One less regret she had to worry over at night. She felt Hunni wiggling her way out of Chloe’s coat collar and heard her tiny gasp as she drank in fresh air.

“That took guts, kiddo. I’m proud of you,” She praised, a rare, but meaningful gesture coming from her, and Chloe felt a wide grin stretch across her face as she surged forward with a spring in her step.

“Me too.”

Marinette

“So, how are things going with you and Adrien?” Alya asked with a smirk later that evening as they worked on homework, and Marinette leaned back, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“They’re fine. Friendly,” She replied shortly.

“Boo, you’re no fun,” Alya teased, nudging her with her elbow. “I wish you’d tell me what’s going on in that brain of yours.”

“It’s-”

“ _Complicated_. I know. You say that every time, but I fail to see a valid reason why you changed your mind all of a sudden,” Alya cut her off. “I think there’s something you’re not telling me.”

“And as my best friend, you should know that if there _is_ something that I’m keeping from you, I have a very good reason to. I know you and Nino are just trying to be supportive of Adrien, and I get it. You did the same thing for me, but right now, there’s just a lot I have to figure out on my own,” Mari chided.

“Okay.” Alya held up defensive hands, and they resumed working for a minute until she spoke again. “It’s not just for Adrien, you know. Nino and I see the way you both look at each other, how you work together, and we just think that you two could be happy together if you’d just give it a try.”

“I know.” Marinette twirled her pencil between her fingers absentmindedly. “There’s just a lot going on in my head right now.”

“I know everyone’s kind of reinventing themselves right now, and it’s confusing. Nino and I just want you guys to know that we’ve got your back, and we want you to be happy. We’re your friends.” She offered up a small smile that Marinette eventually returned.

“Thanks, Alya,” She murmured, leaning forward to hug her neck. “I know I’m frustrating everyone and hurting Adrien more than he lets on.”

“He does come to us to mope,” Alya admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. “But he always respects your decisions even if he doesn’t understand them. That boy is something else.”

“His middle name _is_ Perfection.” They shared a laugh at that.

“I’m not trying to push you into anything you don’t want, M. But I see it in your eyes when you look at him. You still love him, I know you do.” Alya leaned against her fist, and Marinette bit her lip, tapping her pencil on her textbook.

“Sometimes,” She relented. “Other times, I’m not sure.”

“That’s love for you. Sometimes they’re the sweetest things on the planet, other times you wanna ring their neck,” Alya chuckled. “There’s a balance.”

“How do you and Nino do it? You two argue a lot.” Marinette winced.

“When you love each other, you forgive each other. We always either work things out, or we agree to disagree. And there are plenty of times where we get along really well, mostly we just like to tease each other and play devil’s advocate. It actually brings us closer together,” She explained, placing a hand on Marinette’s shoulder. “I think you and Adrien could stand to have a little heart-to-heart about everything. It might help clear your head.”

“Maybe. We talk about it a little, but I know he keeps his true feelings from me because he doesn’t want to push me.” Marinette slumped a little, and Alya rubbed her arm comfortingly.

“Well, definitely don’t rush into anything you’re not okay with, but do communicate how you feel with him. I’m sure there’s ins and outs that Nino and I don’t know about, so talk about them with him, okay?” She brushed Marinette’s nose.

“Okay.” Marinette nodded obediently.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

\- - -

“Okay, so we need to talk strategy if we’re going to take down this fox. I’ve been studying her patterns over the past several weeks, and I think I have an idea about how we can catch her,” She started in their dream meeting that night. Chloe and Adrien both leaned forward a little bit, listening intently. “She’s been hitting up all of Paris’s pride and joys, the Louvre, the Grand Palais, Notre Dame, always vanishing just when the authorities rush in so she can destroy my pride in the eyes of the people, but our conversation about Hawkmoth a couple months ago got me thinking. We suspect that Hawkmoth must have a limited range based on the area akumas tend to pop up in, so I imagine that this fox is limited in how far it can send a doppelganger away from the source.”

“Meaning?” Adrien cocked a brow.

“For each of the events, the real deal isn’t that far away,” Chloe stated, tapping her chin in thought.

“Exactly.”

“Okay, so how does that help us?” Adrien crossed his arms over his chest.

“We’ve been letting her surprise us which never leaves us enough time to sort out a plan before the fake disappears. So what if we got one step ahead?” She proposed.

“How exactly do we do that?”

“I’ve got a few ideas…We know she’s hitting up landmarks that are important to Paris, each one more sacred to the citizens than the last, so if we can predict which one she’s going to hit up next, we can stage a trap for her. Up until now, we all rush in to try and stop her, but it hasn’t gotten us very far. If we’re smart about it, we can locate the real fox during her next exposition and corner her,” She explained, and Adrien pursed his lips skeptically, so she continued with a huff, “Instead of all rushing in at once, I suggest we send in one of us, preferably me since I’m the one she has beef with, while the other two watch from a distance for any sign of the source. We don’t know the exact range of her powers, and maybe she doesn’t know yet either. We can only hope that she stays close by during the event, if nothing more than to watch us fail.”

“So while you engage the fake, we hunt down the real deal, and then-?”

“Herd her like a sheep. We’ll obviously have to set up a route to keep her on leading up to our trap. It’s going to take a lot of planning, and our first priority should be figuring out her hit list,” Marinette said, appeasing Adrien enough for the time being. “What do you think Chloe? You’ve been quiet.”

“I’m thinking,” She murmured, waving them away. “You said she targets landmarks, but I don’t recall the Eiffel Tower being hit yet.”

“No, I think she’s waiting for the opportune moment to strike so that it has the most impact on me,” Marinette affirmed. “It’s only a matter of time before something happens there, I suppose, but we need a more precise estimation.”

“What if we already have one?” Chloe offered, a sly smile curling on her lips, and both Adrien and Marinette gave her a confused frown. “She wants each event to be as public as possible right?”

“Yeah, I assume.”

“So, when’s the next time most of Paris will be gathered at the Eiffel Tower?” Chloe rolled her eyes as if it should be obvious when they still looked perplexed. “There’s a Jagged Stone concert in a week. It’s the perfect opportunity for her to strike. Paris loves Jagged and the Eiffel Tower, put those two together in one place, and it’s the perfect opportunity to shame you.”

“You think she’d go after Jagged?” Adrien’s eyebrows raised.

“I wouldn’t put it past her, no,” Chloe said, and Marinette tapped her chin.

“Alright. We can set up a route on our patrols tomorrow. If she does show up at the concert, we’ll be ready for her, and if she doesn’t…”

“Then we still get a free Jagged Stone concert!” Adrien whooped.

“The mission should be our primary focus, but yes, we can still enjoy the concert, _I guess,_ ” Marinette sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as Adrien pumped his fist in the air excitedly. The scene around them began to crack and splinter, a sign that their time was up. “Good meeting tonight. We’ll meet for patrol tomorrow evening and work out more details.”

“We should come up with an outro for these things like Team Miraculous Out! Or- or-”

Marinette gently pushed them both away before he could finish and blinked open her eyes, a wide yawn stretching across her face as she sat up. They were making headway, she supposed, and she only hoped that they were right to assume the fox would target the concert. It was about time they put a stop to things and put that fox in its place. She picked the wrong bug to mess with, and Marinette wasn’t going to stop until the fox Miraculous was safely returned to Master Fu.

\- - -

The night buzzed with the sounds of a roaring crowd at the base of the Eiffel Tower as Jagged Stone prepared to take the stage. Strategically spread around the event were Paris’s beloved superheroes, hidden in the shadows as they each scanned the area for suspicious activity. In her ear, Ladybug could hear Chat humming one of Jagged’s songs, and she let out a sigh.

“Chat, focus,” She ordered in a hushed tone, and the humming ceased followed by a quick apology. “Keep an eye out for where the doppelganger originates and remember your routes.”

“Yeah, yeah, we know the drill,” Queen Bee said, and Ladybug could picture her eye roll.

“You’ve only been going over it all week,” Chat added pointedly.

“Sorry, I just really want to end this tonight. It’s bad enough we have Hawkmoth using his Miraculous improperly. We don’t need any more Miraculouses under evil command,” She said, squeezing her yoyo anxiously.

“Chill, Worrybug. Kittycat and I are professionals. Worry about your own mission.”

“I know…” She took a deep breath. “I trust you two.”

Loud squeals of excitement from below indicated that the show had begun and soon the air filled with the sound of electric guitar. A few seconds into the song, Chat resumed singing along, and Ladybug groaned.

“I can multi-task,” He sang in rhythm with the song.

“No, I’m with Ladybug on this one. Leave the singing to Jagged Stone, Chat,” Queen Bee scolded teasingly, and Chat sucked in a loud gasp.

“I am a great singer!” He defended as something caught Ladybug’s eye.

“Movement in the rooftops!” Ladybug blurted. “To the north!”

“On it!” Chat called through the coms.

Down below Jagged was in the middle of his guitar solo when the crowd started cheering louder as the ganger made her appearance. Right where she needed to be.

“I’m going in,” Ladybug announced, readying her yoyo.

“I’ve got eyes on the fox! She’s headed west,” Chat called.

“I’ll flank left,” Queen Bee responded. Everything was going according to plan, and Ladybug landed on the stage next to Jagged with a challenging glare.

“Am I seeing double all of a sudden?” He gaped, shifting behind her.

“You’ve been impersonating me for too long! We know exactly what you are, fox!” She shouted over the noise, and the ganger offered a crooked smile. “You hide behind your illusions, but why don’t you just face me?”

\- - -

Chat Noir and Queen Bee followed the fox closely, leading her right into their trap just as planned. Just a few more blocks until they would reach the end and corner her in, hopefully swiping the Miraculous in the process. As they neared their destination, the fox glanced back, casting them a wry smile as she jumped right into their trap. The two heroes landed as the fox eyed the tall brick wall between her and freedom, but she seemed to accept her fate as she made no attempts to scale it.

“We’ve got you cornered, so don’t even think about running. Just hand over your Miraculous, and no one has to get hurt,” Chat ordered, though Queen Bee’s eyes narrowed into suspicious slits.

“This seems too easy,” She murmured as Chat approached.

“Turn around and face us,” He continued with the same business-like tone as before, but the fox remained rooted in place with her back to them. Chat reached out to touch her shoulder and when he did, the girl disappeared in a puff of smoke. He jumped back in alarm, jaw clenching. “She was a fake? But where’s the real one?”

“I knew something seemed off.” Bee tapped her chin in thought. “What if she was just the distraction like Ladybug is for us?”

“A distraction for what?” Chat’s eyebrows knitted together under his mask before it clicked. “Ladybug…We have to get back to the Eiffel Tower! _Now_!”

\- - -

In a split second, the ganger was on her which caught her a little off guard, though she recovered quickly. Ladybug spun and kicked her off as crowds of people ran screaming from the area, and Jagged Stone was ushered off the stage by his crew. Her pulse drummed in her ears so loudly that she could barely make out what Chat and Bee were saying amidst all the chaos.

“The fox was the fake!” Chat shouted for what seemed to not be the first time.

“What?” She called, pressing a hand to her ear to drown out some of the noise, but the ganger was back on her almost immediately.

“She was a fake,” Bee repeated as Ladybug tussled with her fake.

“ _I’m_ fighting the fake,” She grunted, flipping her over her back.

“No, the fox we chased wasn’t-” The ganger landed a kick to Ladybug’s head, knocking her across the stage and dislodging the coms unit from her ear. Before she had time to recover, she was hit again, but she struck back harder, teeth grinding into each other in frustration as she flung the imposter across the stage. If the fox Chat Noir and Queen Bee chased wasn’t the real one then she must have known they would split up, but how? Why would she send two fakes as if she knew what they were planning? Unless…Her eyes narrowed as her ganger shook off the speakers that had toppled on top of her, and she met Ladybug’s gaze head-on with a twisted smirk.

Unless she was the real fox.

“I don’t want to fight you,” Ladybug tried, deflecting a few of her blows. “Why are you targeting me? What have I done to you?”

Her words bore no weight as the strikes kept coming and coming. It was as if she couldn’t hear her, or maybe she just didn’t care. Ladybug’s fists clenched tighter, and eventually, she struck back a few times, putting some distance between them as the fake jumped back a few feet.

“Ladybug!” Chat growled overhead, staff-coptering his way down before striking the ground just shy of her.

“Chat! Think about which one is the real one first!” Queen Bee scolded, hovering down gracefully to land beside him.

“I’m the real one!” The fake declared with a perfect impression of Ladybug’s voice.

“Don’t listen to her!” Ladybug pleaded. “Ask me something only I would know!”

Chat and Bee exchanged uncertain expressions and tapped their chins in thought.

“Who was the first akuma we ever fought together after getting our Miraculouses?” Chat posed, glancing between them.

“Stoneheart! First day of school, a boy named Ivan got akumatized after being picked on about a girl he liked!” Ladybug blurted quickly, grinning triumphantly when Queen Bee and Chat turned and sprang at the ganger, but she dodged easily, a playful laugh shaking her shoulders.

Queen Bee tossed one of her trompos, circling it around her feet with the string and creating a yellow field within its halo. The fake’s jaw clenched as she touched the glowing light, squealing in pain when she was met with a slight shock.

“Stings, doesn’t it?” Bee smirked proudly as Ladybug stepped forward.

“Who are you?” She demanded, folding her arms over her chest. The fake cocked a hip to the side, that sadistic smile contorting her features.

“I suppose you don’t recognize me like this,” She stated, moving her hands vertically as her flute manifested in a flash of light. She spun it counter clockwise, destroying the illusion in a flash as she did so, and two familiar green eyes met Ladybug’s with a vengeful glare that sent the red-clad heroine stumbling back a few paces.

“Lila?” She gasped, cupping a hand over her mouth in horror.

“Told you, you hadn’t seen the last of me, _Ladybug_ ,” She sneered her name. “I got my hands on a real Miraculous, so now I really am Volpina, and you can’t call me a liar anymore!”

“Lila, this isn’t a game! If you mess with me, you put people’s lives at stake!” Ladybug pleaded.

“I am _Volpina!_ ” She stomped her foot.

“Not for much longer, you’re not,” Queen Bee said pointedly, but Volpina simply smirked and examined her nails.

“You have nowhere to run, Volpina. Give up and hand us the Miraculous,” Chat demanded.

“True, I don’t have anywhere to run, but you three do,” She chuckled, pointing to the newest akumatized victim landing on the other end of the stage. With a sweep of its big arm, the three heroes were smacked from the stage, and Volpina was set free of her prison. “Tootles! We’ll see each other again soon, okay?”

“Lila!” Ladybug growled as Volpina skipped off into the night. “Go after her!”

The akuma blocked their path, and Ladybug slammed her fist into the ground angrily. She’d gotten away when they’d come so close! Unfortunately for that akuma, some sort of lumberjack, all three heroes were pent up with enough aggravation that he didn’t know what hit him. As the purified white butterfly flapped away, Ladybug slumped with a sigh and covered her face.

“This is all my fault. I thought she’d moved past this, I-I…” She whimpered, hands shaking as they ran through her hair. “This is all my fault.”

“No, hey, Bug,” Chat cooed, pulling her into his arms, but she backed away.

“If I hadn’t been so selfish this never would have happened! This is all my fault; I don’t deserve to be a hero-” The sound of Bee’s hand slapping across her face echoed around the stage, and Ladybug touched the sore spot delicately.

“You messed up. So what? Everyone does. Don’t give us this pity-party bullshit,” She grunted coldly.

“Hey!” Chat stepped between them defensively, but Ladybug pulled him back.

“Thanks, Bee,” She whispered hoarsely.

“So, what do we do now?” Bee asked, folding her arms over her chest.

“I don’t want either one of you going near Lila anymore,” Chat ordered, but Ladybug shook her head.

“No. If we suddenly abandon her, she’ll get suspicious. We need to find a way to get the Miraculous back from her now that we know who she is. It’s an advantage we have against her now,” Ladybug reasoned, cupping her chin. “Ladybug may not be able to reason with her, but maybe Marinette can.”

“No! It’s too dangerous,” Chat snarled, but Ladybug stood her ground.

“Our entire job is dangerous! But we still have to do it. I’m not some defenseless little princess; I can take care of myself,” She countered, meeting his gaze head-on. His lip twitched slightly, but he backed down with a curt nod.

“Fine. Just be careful,” He caved, letting out a heated breath through his nose.

“We’ll regroup tomorrow night at our meeting. I’ll see what I can gather from Lila tomorrow at school,” Ladybug declared, reaching for her yoyo as her earrings began to beep.

“Okay.” Chat and Bee nodded before she turned and shot off with her yoyo. Queen Bee moved to do the same, but Chat caught her arm as she passed.

“Keep an eye on her. You’re in that group too, so watch her back,” He said gruffly.

“We all watch each other’s backs. We’re a team; it’s what we do,” She replied, and Chat pursed his lips and released his grip. “Marinette is capable on her own. She’s the leader for a reason. Trust her, okay?”

“I _do_ trust her. With my life. It’s _Volpina_ I don’t trust,” He growled.

“Lila won’t hurt Marinette.”

“How do you know?” He snapped.

“Just trust me when I say that. I spend a lot of time with Lila too, and I know things about her that you don’t, things that Marinette doesn’t even know,” She said bluntly. “I’m with Ladybug on this. Business as usual is the best course of action for us right now.”

Chat turned away and clutched his staff tightly, so Queen Bee let out a sigh before leaping up into the rooftops.

When Ladybug landed back on her terrace, her transformation dropped as she crawled back through her skylight and fell onto her bed with an exhausted groan. Tikki floated down beside her and sprawled across the pillow. Her mind was spinning with questions and recourse plans, but all of them seemed too brash to use against Lila - Lila her friend. There had to be another way to reclaim the fox without revealing who she was as she had a feeling Lila wouldn’t take too kindly to finding out her good friend was also her mortal enemy.

If only she hadn’t been so jealous, just further proof that her hot-head needed to be kept in check. The guilt she’d faced 8 months ago all came flooding back to her, but she did her best to push it away. Lila continuing to harbor a grudge wasn’t her fault. Like Chloe said, she’d messed up, but she’d already attempted to make peace. Forgiveness was in Lila’s hands now, and she just hoped that a solution to their dilemma would present itself soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have returned from the grave! Jk, I’ve been writing a bunch of other stuff if you’ve been paying attention, so this kind of got pushed to the backburner. I just get so burnt out writing long chapters now, and this one didn’t have as much planned material, so I had to add a lot to it just to meet my 6000 word minimum. And I’m not entirely happy with this chapter, but it is what it is.
> 
> There’s a lot happening here as usual lol. Some good things, some bad things, but what else is new. Poor Adrien learning to keep those hormones of his in check, Chloe and Sabrina finding peace, and the cluster that is Volpina now. Somethings didn’t go exactly how I envisioned them, but it was time for this fic to get an update. I can’t stay stuck in one spot forever, so I just have to keep on trekking. 
> 
> I really wanted to get this chapter out today for a very specific purpose because today is the day that I posted the first chapter of Lady du Coeur one year ago! It’s LC’s birthday! And also the anniversary of when I started writing again. Before this fic, I hadn’t written anything in 6 years, and it reignited my love for writing. This fic is by no means perfect, and in fact, I hate a lot of the things I’ve done with it, but I do plan to continue it and finish it, and maybe one day I’ll come back to it and fix some of the things that I don’t like about it, but I think for right now it stands to show how much I’ve grown if you compare it to some of my newer works. My ideas have evolved as well as my view on certain characters and characterizations, so hopefully as I move forward with this fic, I can reflect some of that.
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading and being patient when I take two months to get a chapter. I pinky promise I’m planning to upload more often this summer! I am hoping to get to chapter 19 before I have to go back for fall semester, so fingers crossed! This chapter was a bit difficult for me to write, but I’m looking forward to some of the future chapters that are coming up. 
> 
> Follow me on my Miraculous Ladybug sideblog on Tumblr (purrincess-chat) for sneak peaks and updates on my fics as well as fan art and other Miraculous Ladybug related news. Leave me a comment below with your thoughts, and if you’re looking for more to read, click on my username to pull up all of my other stories, and I will touch base with you guys on this fic again soon enough!

**Author's Note:**

> Originally uploaded on Fanfiction, but I decided I would also post it here because I realize some people use fanfiction and not AO3 and vice versa.  
> I'll be uploading a chapter every Tuesday until I catch up to fanfiction, so I guess if you want you can go read there too, I'm also MightyMunchlax  
> I have a tumblr (also MightyMunchlax, I'm consistent...) where I post updates and previews and general trash, so follow me there if you feel so inclined.  
> Post comments cause I love hearing feedback! This is the first thing I've written in about five years, so I'm a bit rusty and trying to figure out my style again, so let me know what you think!


End file.
